The worst new scams of 2010

The last 12 months have seen a number of new scams spring up. Here are five of the worst.

2010 has seen many new scams come to light. Here are some of the worst ones to look out for.

The Section 75 scam!

As regular readers know, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act is a fantastic piece of legislation, as it provides us with great protection on our spending. It means that if you spend more than £100 on a single transaction on your credit card, should anything go wrong with what you’ve paid for (like the firm going bust), your credit card firm is equally liable for providing you with your money back.

However, some shocking tricksters are manipulating the legislation when building fake ticket websites. They’ll advertise tickets that don’t exist, then tell the disappointed customer they won’t be receiving their tickets, encouraging them to contact their credit card providers for a refund!

Have a read of Scammers exploiting protection meant for you! for more on how it works, and how to protect yourself.

Tab napping

This horrible scam takes phishing to a whole new level. Instead of relying on you clicking on a dodgy link in a scam email, this just relies on you being a bit lazy with your surfing habits. If you have a number of tabs open at any one time (I know I always do), then the scammers replace an inactive tab with a scam version, set up to get you to fill in various personal details.

Incredibly, scammers are able to tell when a tab has been left inactive for a while, as well as spy on your browser history to work out which sites you’re likely to head to.

For more on tab napping, be sure to have a read of The new scam that secretly steals your bank details.

The bogus loan scam

Sadly, the crooks and criminals who come up with these scams don’t have the slightest conscience, which is why they prey on some of the most vulnerable people in society. This scam is a great example of that.

You’ll receive an email, text message or phone call promising you a quick and easy loan. If you’re struggling financially, it may sound like the answer to your prayers. You’ll be asked to pay a set-up or administration fee in order to access the loan, which of course doesn’t exist.

According to Citizens Advice, this scam is really on the rise, and is costing victims up to £2,000 a pop. For a full explanation of the scam, check out Avoid the new bogus loan scam.

Zeus 2 and harvesting

It sounds like something from the world of fiction, but Zeus 2 botnets – a form of Trojan which sits in your computer system – are being used by Eastern European criminals to take control of your computer and nab your personal details.

And it’s the UK that has been targeted, with around 98% of the ‘infected’ computers found over here, most likely due to our developed online banking culture. However, if your computer is one of those caught out, you could end up seriously out of pocket if your identity is stolen.

Have a gander at Scary new banking scams for more on Zeus 2, and how to protect yourself.

The over 50s computer scam

Sadly Zeus 2 is just one of the many computer scams that have become apparent over the past year. In September, we revealed the growth of a new scam specifically targeting older users of the internet.

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You would receive a call from overseas, often India, from someone claiming to be a representative of a firm like Microsoft. They will warn you that they believe your computer may have contracted a number of viruses, and request remote access to your computer. If you agree, they can do what they like with your computer, accessing all sorts of personal information you may have on there, leaving you open to identity theft. What’s more, they’ll invent a virus that you supposedly have, and charge you to remove it!

Find out more about this cynical scam in New computer scam that preys on your fears.

Always changing

Sadly, these scams are always evolving, while new ways to part you from your cash are popping up all the time. Be sure to read our weekly scam blog by Tony Levene, our very own scam magnet, to keep up with all of the newest and sneakiest scams.

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