Every year, remittances total hundreds of billions of dollars. And regrettably, because of this volume, some scammers attempt to deceive individuals via money transfer scams. Wire transfer fraud has cost the US economy more than $250 million in recent years. There was a significant increase over the previous years, and the global issue is significantly worse.

If you are a victim of money transfer scams, then you need not be worried because there are so many fund recovery firms that are constructed these days. These firms will help you to get your funds back from scammers. Take a time to read this article to learn about the most popular money transfer scams and how to protect your money and personal data from these scams.

Popular Money transfer scams to avoid:

1  .Accidental money transfer:

You get a transfer using PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or another comparable service from a stranger. This transfer will generally be for a few hundred pounds, though the exact amount may vary. After the transfer, you’ll get a notice saying that it was sent accidentally and asking you to return the money. You want to do the right thing, so you return the “accidental” transfer amount to them. However, after doing so, you later realize that you never actually received a transfer from them, and you have now lost several hundred pounds or more.

Things to do:

Don’t give them their money back. Most likely, the first transfer they gave you was funded by a credit card that was stolen, and it will automatically be reversed. Instead, request that the user who “accidentally” sent you money cancel the transaction on their end or ask them to get in touch with the platform for support.

1  .Online shopping fraud:

You’ve discovered your ideal apartment, but you must pay the first month’s rent in advance. Or a timeshare, but you’ll need to pay your taxes by bank transfer beforehand. You may have found the car of your dreams at an exceptional price, but there are application fees you must pay. While many online merchants are trustworthy, fraudsters take advantage of the Internet’s anonymity to defraud you. That involves requesting money before receiving the item. Before you know it, both of them and your money are gone.

Things to do:

Be careful of anyone online who requests advance money or deposits, especially if there is no contract and you haven’t met the person yet. And additionally, look for a different merchant if anyone online claims that you may only pay with a bank transfer or check. Or suggest meeting in person.

1  .Lottery and contest fraud:

Good fortune! You have a letter informing you that you have won a prize. Or perhaps you get a call about a lottery you won. There is only one catch: to acquire it, you must first pay a fee or pay taxes. The cost is so negligible—only it’s around $1,300. That must be worth getting what you deserve.

What you need to do:

There should never be a fee associated with receiving a prize or winnings from the lottery. Even that should be cause for concern. However, if you’re interested, look up the organization or business where you received your letter to see what other people have to say. 

1  .Scams to “get out of jail”:

Someone posing as a lawyer, or a police officer on behalf of a loved one, may send an email or call pretending to be them. The individual requests that money is transferred right away to pay for bail.

What to do:

Never transmit money to someone without first confirming their identification. If you’re worried that you might be abandoning someone, find out where they’re allegedly being held, and then try to get in touch with your relative or friend using the contacts you had before the call.

 1  .Fake check scams:

You are not immune to scammers just because you are an internet seller. Unbelievably, they’ll discover a solution even if the situation changes. It’s possible that you received a check in response to your online activities that was for more than your item, along with a straightforward request for you to send back the difference. Most likely, the check is a forgery, in which case your bank will charge you a bounced check fee in addition to the money you sent.

Things to do:

Never cash a check you’ve received. Take it to the authorities or your bank for verification.

 1  . Online dating fraud:

Another difficult one that scammers frequently use is forming a connection with someone you meet online through a dating website. Frequently, the person wants to exit the website right away for more private messages or phone call discussions. They can say they’re employed abroad and intend to travel shortly. You gradually come to believe that there is a significant relationship. They then request you to send some money to them.

What you need to do:

You already know the solution: never send money to someone you don’t know. Even if it seems difficult, you could ask to meet in person; their refusal will be a blatant indication that they might not be who they claim to be. If you received a photo by email, you might want to try a reverse photo search to see if you can verify the name. There could be a lot of names written next to the image. Another blatant indication that you’re dealing with a scammer.

Safety tips in the World of Instant Money Transfers: 

Keep your applications for money transfers secure! Never tell anyone your password or leave a note with it in a visible place. Never share your phone’s banking or money transfer app passwords, and be extremely cautious when giving your phone to a stranger or even a technician. Do not forget that an unlocked phone might provide easy access to your money.

Never reply to a call, text, or email from what appears to be a financial institution, government agency, or other entity attempting to stop fraud on your account. 

Never assume that a caller is legitimate based solely on caller ID or the knowing of your personal information. Because the imposter can fake their caller ID to appear to be coming from a financial institution. Money transfer Scams like the “Reverse Zelle Scam” and many others can be successful (or other organizations of authority). Some of your personal information, such as your date of birth or account number, can potentially be used by imposters. They might act as though they are actively following transactions on your account in real-time even when they are not, since they are very familiar with the transaction protocols you use.

Conclusion:

Fraudsters come up with a variety of convincing stories to launder funds from the victims and then most of them include you wiring funds through some the firms like MoneyGram. Wiring money is like transferring cash because of this a plethora of con artists love transferring funds. Once you transfer the funds to scammers and you never get them back. Most likely, there is no chance to reverse a transaction or to track your funds. So, before involving in these money transfer scams it is better to know everything about these scams and also follow some safety precautions to get rid of these scams.