One of the best ways to track down a scammer is by reporting them to the police. The process for reporting an incident will vary depending on how it was committed, but once filed, you should receive a number that you can keep for your records. Once the police have your information, they can act against the scammer.
While agencies can't always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.
Sometime the phone number is spoofed. This means the caller ID displays a number (frequently with a local area code) to disguise the real number of the caller. Spoofed calls are nearly impossible to track.
They don't have an online footprint — If you Google their name and don't find much, you could be dealing with a scammer. Their social media accounts look suspicious — Sometimes a romance scammer will create fake social media accounts to get you to believe their dating profile is real.
Scammers use auto-dialers and spoofed area codes to trick people into picking up the phone. From there, it's a numbers game. The scammers want to get as much personal information from the call recipient as possible. That can include anything from names and birth dates to credit card numbers.
Can someone hack my bank account with just my phone number? It's unlikely, but possible. If a cybercriminal has your phone number, they might attempt to gather more information about you to gain access to your bank account.
If scammers have access to your phone number, they could potentially use it to hack into your online accounts — including your email, social media, and even your bank account.
Promises unusually high returns. Requires an upfront investment - even for a "free" prize. Buyers want to overpay you for an item and have you send them the difference. Doesn't have the look of a real business.
Yes, scammers can track your location and personal information through a phone call or WhatsApp. This is why it's important to be careful about who you talk to on the phone and on WhatsApp. If you're not sure about someone, don't give out any personal information. Why do scammers seemingly prefer to use WhatsApp?
If scammers know your name and address, they can target you with phishing campaigns, spoofed advertisements, and fake offers. Any information you give them can be used to fully steal your identity.
Answer: Yes, it is entirely possible to track a phone number's location using a free phone spy application. However, I would advise against using them as most free tools aren't exactly trustworthy. Remember, these are spyware you are dealing with.
The ACSC is here to help all Australians affected by cyber incidents. Call our hotline 24/7 on 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371) if you need help or go to ReportCyber.
If a scammer knows your address, they could begin sending you mail to get more information out of you. This could be anything from a fake competition to a phony bank letter. Though this isn't a cybercrime, it's still worth being aware of.
Scammers will go to great lengths to gain your interest and trust, such as showering you with loving words, sharing 'personal information' and even sending you gifts. They may take months to build what may feel like the romance of a lifetime and may even pretend to book flights to visit you, but never actually come.
Contact your bank immediately to let them know what's happened and ask if you can get a refund. Most banks should reimburse you if you've transferred money to someone because of a scam.
Con artists are present on most dating and social media sites. The scammer's intention is to establish a relationship as quickly as possible, endear himself to the victim, and gain trust. Scammers may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person, but that will never happen. Eventually, they will ask for money.
Look for typical scammer behavior.
Repeatedly asking for odd personal information (e.g., your location) Disconcertingly dramatic, erratic, or otherwise strange behavior (in all likelihood, you'll want to avoid dating people like this anyway) Early or inappropriate professions of love.
Talk to friends or family about a new love interest and pay attention if they're concerned. Try a reverse image search of profile pictures. If the details don't match up, it's a scam.
No—unless you hit a link included in the text. To avoid getting hacked, do not hit any link that comes with a text or email—unless you are absolutely sure of the sender's identity.
What can a scammer do with your email? Stolen credentials allow a scammer to send malicious messages or malware links to your contacts, extract personal or financial information from your saved messages, or get your friends and family to send money to them under false pretenses.