Fraud can be both financially and emotionally devastating. Unfortunately it is estimated that over 30 million people in the United States alone are victims of fraud each year. So how do you prevent yourself from becoming one of those people? The best way to safeguard yourself is to be knowledgeable about the different types of fraud that are commonly committed. Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami, FL knows the ins and outs of the most common types of fraud. We want to share them with you so you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud.

Telemarketing Frauds Cases

Telemarketing fraud is one of the most common types of fraud. Telemarketing fraud is when someone calls you over the phone and you are asked to immediately send money in order to be able to access some sort of special offer. It is estimated that over $40 billion is lost due to telemarketing fraud every year. The elderly are typically targeting with telemarketing fraud more than any other age group. Over half of telemarketing fraud happens to people 55 years old and older. Telemarketers are extremely convincing so you have to be careful to avoid this one. One red flag is if they ask you for payment up front to win a prize or improve your odds of winning a prize. It is actually illegal for telemarketers to ask for a fee upfront. If they ask you for your debit or credit card information or your checking account number you are probably being scammed.

Nigerian Letter Advance Fee Scam

The Nigerian letter fraud has been around since the 1990s. Victims of this fraud receive an email or a letter claiming that they are a person of power in Nigeria and they have chosen you to help them access some money. They ask their victims for money to help with attorney services or bank fees and then guarantee that you will get your money back plus a commission when they get access to their money. In Nigeria this scam violates section 419 of their criminal code so this type of fraud is also referred to as the 419 fraud. Many people have fallen victim to this scam because of the detail that is included in the letter. As of 2013 it is estimated that $12.7 billion have been lost due to this type of fraud. Make sure that you do not fall prey to this fraud by never sending money to someone that you do not know. It does not matter what they claim they need it for or what their intentions are you should not make the mistake of sending money to them.

Identity Theft

Identity theft has become another extremely large fraud issue. Criminals will take your identity by looking through you trash or stealing details from you online. They will take your personal information and pretend to be you to apply for credit, welfare services, tax refunds, and more. Many times it takes victims months to become aware that their identity has been stolen. An identity theft study reported that in 2016 $16 billion was stolen from consumers through identity theft. To protect yourself from identity theft you can shred any documents with personal information on them, protect your online passwords carefully, carefully protect your credit and debit cards, and sign up for credit protection services.

Private Investigator & Security Services in Greater Miami, Sunny Isles, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Weston, Plantation City & Miami Gardens Florida

If you need a fraud investigation completed give Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami, FL a call today. We can help look into any type of fraud that occurs.