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Be wary of mails that promise you great fortunes, warns K. Kalyanasundaram
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BE WARNED Kalyanasundaram: `Statistics estimate that one in 1,000 Internet users fall prey to fraudsters' tactics'
You think you are in danger of being harmed only while driving in heavy traffic and not while "safely" checking mail at home? Not quite, considering only recently a Nigerian tried to swindle a Bangalore businessman through email but got caught, thanks to the businessman's sharpness.
So be wary of any mail that promises you a great fortune, even when they are impressively written and come packed with "credible" facts and figures.
If it's a letter that says you have won a lottery or one that promises a windfall, make sure you enquire about the sources. There are many ways of doing that. You could log onto www.fraud.org/tips/internet/general.htm and other sites to increase your awareness on Internet scams. You have the choice of reporting a suspicious mail to departments that probe into matters relating to Internet scammers. Get some information from the sites such as www.lynedia.com or www.nettruths.com
Besides mails that promise a fortune, there are also those that espouse causes such as victims of earthquakes or floods. Check on the reliability of the people behind these initiatives before you donate any money. Remember that you could end up not only losing money, but also being penalised for direct involvement in a fraudulent transaction.
Internet scams originate from across the world and the most noted ones are from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, etc. Statistics estimate that one in 1,000 Internet users fall prey to their tactics.
Not surprising isn't it considering big money is involved? When did any man say no to loads of money?
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