Stealing Your Cash: Over 10K Euros Lost to Internet Scammers Every Day
Numerous internet users unwittingly purchase from fraudulent online retailers - Multitude of Netizens Unwittingly Shop at Phony Online Stores
Here's the lowdown: One out of four folks in this nation has been snared by online swindlers, as per a survey conducted by Schufa. This poll questioned a thousand adults back in February. Friends and family of these victims aren't immune either, with 25 percent knowing someone who's fallen for this sneaky online stuff.
The damage is often hefty: Nearly six out of ten victims (61%) have had their wallets lightened - maybe they received nothing or crappy products instead of what they paid for.
What are these cunning crooks up to? Here are some common tricks:
- Counterfeit Stores: These bad apples create fake online shops, tricking customers with tempting offers but never delivering the goods.
- Scamming: These sly tactics deceive victims to transfer money, like fake lotteries, romance scams, and investment swindles.
- Data Thievery: These devils misuse personal data without permission to make a quick buck.
- Subscription Traps: These sneaky schemes lure users into long-term contracts, fees for which often get lost in the fine print.
In one out of three online fraud cases (34%), the damage ranges between 100 and 1,000 euros. Sadly, over a quarter (28%) have lost between 1,000 and 10,000 euros, and in 4% of cases, the loss exceeds 10,000 euros.
Crooks often snatch sensitive data, with passwords (16%), bank data (17%), and personal information like address and birthdate (19%) being common targets.
To shield themselves from internet piracy, consumers mainly rely on secure passwords (58%) and replacing login details after becoming a victim (35%).
Wiesbaden, Schufa
Additional Insights:
- SCHUFA's Survey: The survey discovered common methods of online fraud, such as fake stores, scamming, data theft, and subscription traps. Sensitive data often targeted includes passwords, bank details, and personal information.
- IdentChecker: SCHUFA offers a free tool, IdentChecker, which helps consumers check if their data has been published following data theft on the internet or darknet. This service can provide an extra layer of security to users.
- To protect consumers from online fraud and data theft, Schufa recommends using secure passwords and replacing login details after a breach, as highlighted in their additional insights.
- According to the Schufa survey, the employment policy should include adequate measures to educate employees about potential online scams, especially in the context of increasing losses due to data theft and fraud in the realm of finance and technology.
