GOTTEN INVOLVED?
Complex language: scammers may use complex financial jargon or misleading language to confuse potential investors and make their scam seem more legitimate. Many scammers rely on the general public’s lack of knowledge about cryptocurrency to make impossible schemes seem realistic
Why do scams work?
Scammers use a number of tactics to try to trick people:
‘Easy money’ offers: scammers will promise quick and high returns.
Limited-time offers: make people think they need to invest immediately or they will miss out.
Fake celebrity support: scammers will make up fake news stories and use photographs from elsewhere to make a scam look like it has a celebrity’s approval. Elon Musk Investment scams are currently the most popular use of a fake celebrity endorsement.
Fake reviews: scammers put fake reviews of a product or service to make the scam look real.
Real-looking websites: the scammers make sure that their websites look real to make it seems like a professional operation.
‘Easy money’ offers: scammers will promise quick and high returns.
Limited-time offers: make people think they need to invest immediately or they will miss out.
Fake celebrity support: scammers will make up fake news stories and use photographs from elsewhere to make a scam look like it has a celebrity’s approval. Elon Musk Investment scams are currently the most popular use of a fake celebrity endorsement.
Fake reviews: scammers put fake reviews of a product or service to make the scam look real.
Real-looking websites: the scammers make sure that their websites look real to make it seems like a professional operation.
Tips for keeping your money safe
‘Get rich quick’ schemes are scams. And if someone says you can make money or digital coins very fast, it's probably not a real investment scheme.
Don't trust adverts or unexpected offers online, on social media, or over the phone.
Ignore unrequested investment offers: these offers may appear online through paid adverts or show up on social media or you may even receive a call on the phone.
On social medial platforms (e.g. Facebook), if a friend messages out-of-the-blue about an investment scheme, ignore the message and contact your friend by other means, as it’s not likely to be your friend messaging you.
Do not download any programs (e.g. AnyDesk) onto your computer, if told to do so by an investor. Remote Desktop Access Scams are extremely common.
Before you invest, do your homework and maybe ask an expert for advice.
Don't trust adverts or unexpected offers online, on social media, or over the phone.
Ignore unrequested investment offers: these offers may appear online through paid adverts or show up on social media or you may even receive a call on the phone.
On social medial platforms (e.g. Facebook), if a friend messages out-of-the-blue about an investment scheme, ignore the message and contact your friend by other means, as it’s not likely to be your friend messaging you.
Do not download any programs (e.g. AnyDesk) onto your computer, if told to do so by an investor. Remote Desktop Access Scams are extremely common.
Before you invest, do your homework and maybe ask an expert for advice.
Keep apps and devices safe and up-to-date
Devices, applications, and software often have security flaws that could make them targets for attackers. It’s very important to make sure that everything is protected by downloading the latest security updates. The following list gives example of things that that should be checked for updates:
Mobile phones,
Computers, laptops and notebooks
Apps and games
Wearable technology - fitness trackers and smart watches
Smart devices and speakers like Alexa or Google Home.
Each device is different, but you can usually find out how to enable updates in the settings and the settings often allow for automatic updating.
It’s also important to use anti-virus software. You can get anti-virus software for mobiles as well as tablets, laptops and PCs. Make sure that you keep it updated or ask an adult to help you.
Mobile phones,
Computers, laptops and notebooks
Apps and games
Wearable technology - fitness trackers and smart watches
Smart devices and speakers like Alexa or Google Home.
Each device is different, but you can usually find out how to enable updates in the settings and the settings often allow for automatic updating.
It’s also important to use anti-virus software. You can get anti-virus software for mobiles as well as tablets, laptops and PCs. Make sure that you keep it updated or ask an adult to help you.
Limit your online friends to people you know
People you meet online may not be who they say they are.
It's easy for cybercriminals to take someone else's picture and details to pretend to be someone they're not. If you discover someone is doing this you should end contact with them and tell a trusted adult.