These Behaviors Make You a Scam Target
Do you spend a lot of time on social media sites or looking for great online deals? If so, then you wear a bullseye when it comes to scammers hunting for money, according to groundbreaking fraud research from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, and the Stanford Center on Longevity.
Researchers surveyed more than 1,400 Americans and Canadians who were targeted by scammers and reported the fraud to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which tracks scams. Nearly half of those surveyed did not engage with the fraudster. However, 30% engaged to some degree but ultimately did not lose money, while 23% engaged with the fraudster or offer and lost money.
"The path to victimization begins with engagement," said FINRA Foundation President Gerri Walsh. "Social media and website scams are flourishing. Every time you respond to a friend request from someone you don't know or click through to an unfamiliar website, you run the risk of being exposed to a scam."
Source Fool.com
