Scams and frauds refer to deceptive schemes or activities designed to con individuals or organizations out of their money, goods, or personal information. These malicious practices often exploit trust and manipulate victims through various means, including false representations, misrepresentations, and manipulation of circumstances.
A scam typically involves a planned deception, such as lottery or prize scams, where individuals are led to believe they have won something valuable in order to extract money from them. Fraud, on the other hand, covers a wider range of activities, including financial fraud, identity theft, and credit card fraud, where the perpetrator unlawfully gains a benefit at the expense of another.
Both scams and frauds often rely on emotional manipulation, such as creating a sense of urgency or fear, which can make victims more susceptible to giving away sensitive information or making hasty decisions. Prevention of scams and frauds involves awareness, education on recognizing the signs of deceit, and adopting measures to protect oneself from being targeted. Overall, these terms encompass a variety of tactics used to illegitimately gain something of value through deceitful means.
A new scam, known as "smishing," targets commuters by impersonating toll service notifications and demanding false payments. Scammers create convincing fake websites that mimic real toll service pages, attempting to…