Internet Crime Prevention Tips, Activity Sheets, Information, and Resources

Auction Fraud

• Before you bid, contact the seller with any questions you have.
• Review the seller's feedback.
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
• Ensure you understand refund, return, and warranty policies.
• Determine the shipping charges before you buy.
• Be wary if the seller only accepts wire transfers or cash.
• If an escrow service is used, ensure it is legitimate.
• Consider insuring your item.
• Be cautious of unsolicited offers.

Counterfeit Cashier's Check

• Inspect the cashier's check.
• Ensure the amount of the check matches in figures and words.
• Check to see that the account number is not shiny in appearance.
• Be watchful that the drawer's signature is not traced.
• Official checks are generally perforated on at least one side.
• Inspect the check for additions, deletions, or other alterations.
• Contact the financial institution on which the check was drawn to ensure legitimacy.
• Obtain the bank's telephone number from a reliable source, not from the check itself.
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.

Credit Card Fraud

• Ensure a site is secure and reputable before providing your credit card number online.
• Don't trust a site just because it claims to be secure.
• If purchasing merchandise, ensure it is from a reputable source.
• Promptly reconcile credit card statements to avoid unauthorized charges.
• Do your research to ensure legitimacy of the individual or company.
• Beware of providing credit card information when requested through unsolicited emails.

Debt Elimination

• Know who you are doing business with — do your research.
• Obtain the name, address, and telephone number of the individual or company.
• Research the individual or company to ensure they are authentic.
• Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine the legitimacy of the company.
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
• Ensure you understand all terms and conditions of any agreement.
• Be wary of businesses that operate from P.O. boxes or maildrops.
• Ask for names of other customers of the individual or company and contact them.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

DHL/UPS

• Beware of individuals using the DHL or UPS logo in any email communication.
• Be suspicious when payment is requested by money transfer before the goods will be delivered.
• Remember that DHL and UPS do not generally get involved in directly collecting payment from customers.
• Fees associated with DHL or UPS transactions are only for shipping costs and never for other costs associated with online transactions.
• Contact DHL or UPS to confirm the authenticity of email communications received.

Employment/Business Opportunities

• Be wary of inflated claims of product effectiveness.
• Be cautious of exaggerated claims of possible earnings or profits.
• Beware when money is required up front for instructions or products.
• Be leery when the job posting claims "no experience necessary".
• Do not give your social security number when first interacting with your prospective employer.
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
• Be wary when replying to unsolicited emails for work-at-home employment.
• Research the company to ensure they are authentic.
• Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine the legitimacy of the company.

Escrow Services Fraud

• Always type in the website address yourself rather than clicking on a link provided.
• A legitimate website will be unique and will not duplicate the work of other companies.
• Be cautious when a site requests payment to an "agent", instead of a corporate entity.
• Be leery of escrow sites that only accept wire transfers or e-currency.
• Be watchful of spelling errors, grammar problems, or inconsistent information.
• Beware of sites that have escrow fees that are unreasonably low.

Identity Theft

• Ensure websites are secure prior to submitting your credit card number.
• Do your homework to ensure the business or website is legitimate.
• Attempt to obtain a physical address, rather than a P.O. box or maildrop.
• Never throw away credit card or bank statements in usable form.
• Be aware of missed bills which could indicate your account has been taken over.
• Be cautious of scams requiring you to provide your personal information.
• Never give your credit card number over the phone unless you make the call.
• Monitor your credit statements monthly for any fraudulent activity.
• Report unauthorized transactions to your bank or credit card company as soon as possible.
• Review a copy of your credit report at least once a year.

Internet Extortion

• Security needs to be multi-layered so that numerous obstacles will be in the way of the intruder.
• Ensure security is installed at every possible entry point.
• Identify all machines connected to the Internet and assess the defense that's engaged.
• Identify whether your servers are utilizing any ports that have been known to represent insecurities.
• Ensure you are utilizing the most up-to-date patches for your software.

Investment Fraud

• If the "opportunity" appears too good to be true, it probably is.
• Beware of promises to make fast profits.
• Do not invest in anything unless you understand the deal.
• Don't assume a company is legitimate based on "appearance" of the website.
• Be leery when responding to invesment offers received through unsolicited email.
• Be wary of investments that offer high returns at little or no risk.
• Independently verify the terms of any investment that you intend to make.
• Research the parties involved and the nature of the investment.
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
• Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine the legitimacy of the company.

Lotteries

• If the lottery winnings appear too good to be true, they probably are.
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
• Be leery if you do not remember entering a lottery or contest.
• Be cautious if you receive a telephone call stating you are the winner in a lottery.
• Beware of lotteries that charge a fee prior to delivery of your prize.
• Be wary of demands to send additional money to be eligible for future winnings.
• It is a violation of federal law to play a foreign lottery via mail or phone.

Nigerian Letter or "419"

• If the "opportunity" appears too good to be true, it probably is.
• Do not reply to emails asking for personal banking information.
• Be wary of individuals representing themselves as foreign government officials.
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
• Beware when asked to assist in placing large sums of money in overseas bank accounts.
• Do not believe the promise of large sums of money for your cooperation.
• Guard your account information carefully.
• Be cautious when additional fees are requested to further the transaction.

Phishing/Spoofing

• Be suspicious of any unsolicited email requesting personal information.
• Avoid filling out forms in email messages that ask for personal information.
• Always compare the link in the email to the link that you are actually directed to.
• Log on to the official website, instead of "linking" to it from an unsolicited email.
• Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the email to verify if the email is genuine.

Ponzi/Pyramid

• If the "opportunity" appears too good to be true, it probably is.
• Beware of promises to make fast profits.
• Exercise diligence in selecting investments.
• Be vigilant in researching with whom you choose to invest.
• Make sure you fully understand the investment prior to investing.
• Be wary when you are required to bring in subsequent investors.
• Independently verify the legitimacy of any investment.
• Beware of references given by the promoter.

Reshipping

• Be cautious if you are asked to ship packages to an "overseas home office."
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.
• Be leery if the individual states that his country will not allow direct business shipments from the United States.
• Be wary if the "ship to" address is yours but the name on the package is not.
• Never provide your personal information to strangers in a chatroom.
• Don't accept packages that you didn't order.
• If you receive packages that you didn't order, either refuse them upon delivery or contact the company where the package is from.

Spam

• Do not open spam. Delete it unread.
• Never respond to spam as this will confirm to the sender that it is a "live" email address.
• Have a primary and secondary email address - one for people you know and one for all other purposes.
• Avoid giving out your email address unless you know how it will be used.
• Never buy anything advertised through an unsolicited email.

Third Party Receiver of Funds

• Do not agree to accept and wire payments for auctions that you did not post.
• Be leery if the individual states that his country makes receiving these types of funds difficult.
• Be cautious when the job posting claims "no experience necessary".
• Be cautious when dealing with individuals outside of your own country.