Some people with wrong intentions tend to get away with doing financial crimes. They often have individuals who lack financial knowledge as victims of such wrongdoings. These people go undetected when they steal money from you since, in most cases, they succeeded in deceiving you. It is unfortunate how frequently these crimes take place nowadays. You must understand the kinds of financial fraud and learn some ways to shield yourself from being a victim.
What is financial fraud?
Financial fraud is when someone steals or deprives you of your money, tricks you into risking your financial health, or deceives you into giving them money. This illegal act can now be done in many ways, like identity theft or investment fraud. Unfortunately, many victim compensation programs fail to cover the money lost to fraud or scams.
It is essential to report the crime to the authorities, the appropriate agencies, and even law enforcement as soon as you become a victim, regardless of the type of financial fraud. If you ever fall into that misfortune, gather essential documentation of the crime, like bank statements, credit information, and previous tax data. Those files could make a solid case to help you in the reporting process.
Type of financial fraud
Internet fraud
Due to the rise of technology, some people use it for evil deeds. Unfortunately, others take advantage of its convenience since the internet is a fast, easy, and efficient way to reach many people simultaneously. Fraudsters use it to compose fake messages and make them look authentic or credible, making it difficult for investors to differentiate between real and fake. Because of this, thinking at least twice before investing in online opportunities is vital.
One form of internet fraud is when some companies use online newsletters to promote their stocks. Legitimate online newsletters offer valuable information, but some are just tools for fraud. Although, touting is not considered illegal as long as there is no disclosure of how much they are paid and what type of payment was used. However, fraudsters mainly lie about the payments received and doctor their track records.
Another online fraud method is spam or junk e-mail. Usually, spam mail promotes fraudulent investment schemes or spreads lies about a company. Advance fee frauds utilize spam to lure potential victims.
Advance fee fraud
Some deals require you to pay upfront before you can go through. Most of the time, advance payments are said to be tax, commission or incidental expenses that can be repaid.
Advance fee frauds try to trick investors using credible-sounding websites and e-mail addresses. These may include “.gov” and end in “.us or .org” to sound authentic. Keep an eye out for websites that falsely claim to be legitimate.
Ponzi scheme
This type of investment fraud pays existing investors using money gathered from new investors. Ponzi scheme organizers try to convince you to invest your money and promise you will have high returns with minimal risk. Usually, those fraudsters would not even invest the money but rather use it to pay those who invested earlier and are likely to set aside some money for their interests.
Pyramid scheme
In this scheme, they attempt to generate money by recruiting new participants. These participants are promised to earn generous returns within a short period. Promoters involved in a pyramid scheme go to great lengths to convince possible victims that their program is multi-level and sells legitimate products or services.
Since financial fraud can come in many forms, knowing how to combat it is crucial. Here are some tips:
Since fraudsters are not fond of being investigated before you invest, ask questions, or you can repel them by doing a prior investigation yourself. However, if you question them, they lie to set you straight. Learn to do independent research and know what you will get yourself into before diving in.
Also, before you invest, take some time to get to know the salesperson. Check out the person promoting the investment first. Find out if they are qualified and licensed to sell securities. Using online databases, you can check the disciplinary history of brokers and advisers. Also, try inquiring from your state securities regulator since they can provide additional information.
Again, doing some research before investing is vital. Things like unsolicited e-mails, company news, or message board postings should not be your primary basis for your decisions when it comes to investing. Research the company’s history, products, services, and business before getting involved.
Moreover, avoid easily getting convinced by offers, unsolicited pitches, or praises you see online, especially if you do not see any current financial information about them. It could be a tactic to trick you into investing. If you fall for it and they manage to get money from you, it would be hard to locate or have it back.
There are tactics or red flags that you need to look out for to avoid experiencing financial fraud.
If you think an investment is too good to be true, then you are probably right. Some investment opportunities claim you will get a lot of money to invest in them. But most of the time, those who have those claims tend to be the ones who have higher risks which can lead to drastic drops in your money.
Be warned that at other times, credibility is being faked. They put up a front that shows they are trustworthy. As a result, most investors are blinded and can be easily convinced. Instead of believing them just based on what they are, try finding out how qualified they are. Scam artists have this tactic of saying that they are offer you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and proceed to pressuring you to send money right away. Remember that good and real opportunities wait and would not rush you.
Lastly, individuals that commit fraud lure investors by doing small favors for them. It is a strategy they use so you would feel obligated to reciprocate those actions by investing in their service or product.
