It is not an easy feat to claim that you’ve never fallen into the traps of online scammers before because only a few people can boast of this. No matter how careful you might be, there will be situations where the scammer would want to outsmart you and as such, you can never be too careful. At Vesicash, we are concerned about your online safety and this is why we curated these signs that will help you identify an Online Scammer:

The link to the website shared with you is not secure

You’ve had plans to buy a particular product and during your online surfing, the advert pops up for the exact product and out of excitement, you rush to click the link to the website.

Now hold on!

The first thing that you should check is the small padlock icon usually located in the address bar, does the link contain http or https? If this is missing then, this might be the first signal that you are about to be scammed. It could also be Phishing, which puts you at risk of having your personal data compromised and exploited.

The ‘Vendor’ gives a deadline or makes it look like you have to close the deal immediately

Since some scammers have found a way around tweaking the website to make it look secure, here’s another sign to look out for: Scammers do not like wasting too much time with an unsuspecting victim so, they create an urgency that leaves you rattled.

‘This is the last piece remaining and only your immediate payment can stop me from selling to the person that earlier reached out…’

‘I’m heading to the market now, so I need us to conclude this immediately…’

‘This is the only place you can get this so pay to own it now’

When you hear things like these or you generally feel rushed by the supposed Vendor, that is a valid sign for you to run because you need enough time to make research about the person you are dealing with.

Ridiculously low prices, Mouthwatering Discounts, and Unheard of Freebies

Who doesn’t want good deals or discount offers from time to time? No one, right? Well, scammers know this too and have capitalized on this to lure a lot of people into their claws.

We know that you want to buy more at a lesser price but anytime a deal looks too good to be real or the price sweeps you off your feet then, this might be another signal that you are about to be scammed.

To deal with this, it is important for you to carry out periodic market surveys to know the prices of products, you should also check renowned brands to know how low they go during discounts. When armed with the information, you will not get easily swayed by seemingly great deals from scammers.

Exclusive/Special Treatment

Online Scammers want you to feel important and special, so they come up with various tactics that make it look like you are the only one enjoying their supposed goodwill.

They will tell you that they took a strong liking to you and would want to transact with you at all costs. They are the ones always telling stories of how their market is for the selected few or how you’d never get another offer like theirs.

Before you feel extra special or ‘chosen’, please take time to sieve through the many lies.

Proposing Non-Secure Payment Methods

Scammers would want to get a deal completed as soon as they can so that they can move to the next prey hence, they do not want to choose any payment method that gives room for inspection or that can be traced back to them.

If anyone wants you to Pay before Delivery via such methods as Pre-loaded Gift Cards, Bank Transfers, Credit Cards and the like, please run! Escrow payment solutions remain the safest path to toll since there is an inspection window that thwarts the urgency that the scammers need and the need to confirm the delivery before payment is released.Please be careful not to fall victim to the scammer’s gimmicks, so ensure that the payment method that you choose is safe and secure.

Final Notes

Although it is true that the scammers are constantly tightening their loose ends and becoming smarter by the day, we believe that the curated signs above can help you manage situations better.

Are there other signs that you’ve been able to use in identifying scammers or you’d like to share your experience with a scammer? Kindly send us an email at info@vesicash.com or call us on +2347039914767.