From envelopes in the car to weird things on the hood, scammers target everyone, no matter their age and background which makes it difficult to know who exactly they will hit next. Plus, criminals and scammers are actually getting more sophisticated in their attempts to get closer to you and use their skills to scam or even attack you. What we can do is be aware of the most common tricks that they use.
We at Bright Side found out about the most unusual signs of trouble and what you should do if you ever find yourself in the same situation.
Finding an envelope on the passenger seat, even if you are sure your car was locked, means that someone was able to break into it. But this is not the end of this scam. Inside the envelope, you might find a message like:
“Dear Sir/Ma’am, we’ve tested your car’s security system and as you can see it can be easily broken into. So we expect you to pay us for this test and, in return, we will send you someone who will actually install a better system.”
But it’s better to not do it. Because sending money to people who are threatening you will encourage them to do it again. Contact the police and check your car’s alarm system regularly using a trusted car service.
Another one these? This is proved to be a hoax, time and again, yet different versions with the same core idea keep getting spread, year after year. The only scammers here are the people spreading this hoax - just search it with your fave search engine
If you notice a water bottle on your car hood, don’t touch it and immediately drive to an auto body shop or to the police to have them check and see if there is a GPS tracker on your car. This is because the water bottle tactic is probably used by kidnappers and traffickers to make you exit your car and become a victim. So, if you notice something weird is on your hood, even if it’s not a bottle, drive away, don’t get out of your car to throw it away.
When you get inside a taxi and the driver tells you that the meter is not working, get out immediately. Don’t let him start driving. You could get charged a lot more than the regular fee, especially if you are a tourist and you look like one.
If you need help on the road it’s better to stay away from strangers who offer you help, unless you really think it’s safe to accept it. There are some towing companies that will take advantage of those who are stranded in the middle of nowhere.
So, if a tow truck stops by and it’s not the one you called for, don’t accept their help. This is because they will most likely overcharge you and won’t release your car until you pay them. If you are not sure if the tow truck is from the company you called, call again and ask for the license plate number so that you can verify it’s them.
Parking your car next to a bigger vehicle can sometimes be a bad choice. This is because it obstructs your sight and you could easily be the target of a criminal who might be hiding behind it. So, it’s better to not park next to vehicles like cargo vans.
One thing to remember is that your bank will never ask for any banking passwords or your PIN number. So, if someone saying that they are calling from the bank is asking you for passwords and PIN numbers hang up right away. Next, find your bank’s phone number from their official website, on the “contact us” page, and call them to let them know what happened.
A real company won’t ask you to pay via Western Union, MoneyGram, or even gift cards and vouchers. If they do it’s a sign that you have been contacted by a scam company. Also, if they rush you to make the transfer quickly, stay away from them and don’t pay them.
Do you know any other signs of danger? Have you been scammed before? What did you do?
insane tricks used by thieves
huh! ,😁
Wow, it's insane how smart thief's are
I used to work at a call center for an electric company - people were duped out of their money because the scammers would contact homeowners and businesses and claim that their electricity would be shut off within a few hours unless they paid immediately... they would be instructed to buy gift cards and provide the numbers on them. I always tell people that the electric company would never call you with a threat to shut off service - we'd post notices asking you to call us. Just remember that anytime you are being pressured to act now, it's likely that it's a scam. You can always hang up and then contact the company using the phone number on your bill.
