Since the beginning of the internet, criminals have tried to convince you to share your personal information with them. One of the oldest scams involves the infamous Nigerian prince asking for help. In reality it's a phishing attack where scammers reach out to potential victims and promise a sum of money in return for what seems like a simple favor. As of 2019, that scam was still collecting nearly $700,000 per year. Today, scams are rampant and nearly everyone can say they have been subject to a phishing email or gift card scam.
In a study conducted by the National Cybersecurity Alliance, Generation Z individuals are more likely to fall victim to online scams than other generations.
Kent State Today spoke with Sgt. Tricia Knoles from Kent State University Police Services about scams that she has seen in her career and her advice on how to avoid them.
Knoles explained how certain scams target specific groups of people like the elderly and college students. Scams will target the elderly because they can lack internet literacy. Scams will target college students because of their newly acquired independence. She also emphasized how international students can be targeted by scammers claiming to be the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Even more concerning is "sextortion,” a form of fraud where a subject threatens to distribute private images or videos of the victim if they do not send them money.
“Sextortion is a big thing. People are trying to extort younger populations who either send a picture to somebody that they may not know or maybe they met on a different site,” Knoles said. “Even if it's just a picture of their face, these scam artists are taking their face and photoshopping them onto bodies. And using that to say that they'll send that picture to their family and friends.”
To avoid sextortion, the Federal Bureau of Investigations suggests:
- Never send explicit images of yourself to anyone.
- Turn off electronic devices and cameras when you are not using them.
- If you are receiving sextortion threats, contact the FBI.
Scam artists are also able to “spoof” phone numbers, which is using software to show the caller ID on your phone is from someone you know or trust. Criminals using this form of scam commonly pretend to be law enforcement or even universities calling to demand payment. Scammers are now using AI to clone a voice familiar voice, like Joe Biden or your aunt. This means that verifying the legitimacy of a call cannot be done through just a phone number. The best way to handle this is to hang up and call the person you think called you. This will put you in touch with your actual aunt.
Knoles clarified that the FBI or any government agency will not ask for or demand personal information and/or money, especially in the form of gift cards. She also mentioned that things like FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and meeting in person at a safe place can allow you to legitimately see who you are talking to.
If you receive a call that appears to come from your bank or Kent State about tuition or payment, instead of sending money right away, contact your bank or the Bursar's Office directly.
Another danger targeting students is the fake job offer scam that is used to steal college students' personal and financial information. Students have reported getting contacted on social media by individuals claiming to be recruiters for a lucrative job opportunity, like a tech company, dream internship or a firm on Wall Street. The fake recruiters use public information like the names of professors to convince their victims that they were recommended for a position at the company.
This scam can then lead to several realistic virtual or in-person interviews that convince the victims they received a job offer. Then comes the HR paperwork, where students sign forms and documents that contain confidential information.
To avoid falling for this scam, the Federal Trade Commission has several recommendations:
- If the call mentions a professor, contact them directly.
- Corporative executives do not email from personal accounts, like @gmail.com, especially for recruiting. Although an email address is not enough to verify since scammers can hack into email systems, it is a good place to look for red flags.
- Always be cautious about handing out your personal information
- Report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.
Since many of these scammers are overseas, it makes them difficult to track down. However, the FBI has created a website called the Internet Crime Complaint Center, where victims can file reports of scams and help bring cybercriminals to justice.
“If you feel as if you have been scammed, call the police right away,” Knoles said, “and follow up with filing a complaint through the Internet Crime Complaint Center. On campus, we also have Counseling and Psychological Services along with victims' assistance in Ohio.”
Visit Kent State University Police Service resources.
File a report or learn more on The Internet Crime Complaint Center.