Affinity groups and family member in distress
Affinity groups
Fraudsters associate with people who share the same beliefs or interests so they can identify potential victims.
As with other types of fraud, they will make a subtle, then gradually more open show of their wealth and success. They will build a relationship with you and then offer you exceptional investment opportunities. Their victims may take the first steps themselves to invest and reap the promised rewards. In some case, the scammers will ask you to keep quiet because it’s a golden opportunity and they only want to share it with their friends. The truth is, the only people who will profit are the fraudsters!
A friend offers you an investment opportunity?
View it through the same critical lens as if the person were a stranger. That also means checking whether the friend is authorized to sell the investment he or she is offering.
End of the insightA friend or family member in distress
Scammers impersonating a friend or family member will call you or write you on Facebook or another social network. They will tell you they’re in need of your immediate financial assistance in order, for example, to avoid being imprisoned in horrific conditions for not paying a fine after being unjustly arrested.
Be careful! Some fraudsters will assume the identity of someone you know in order to extort money from you.
To avoid this type of fraud:
- If a friend or family member appears to be in a crazy situation and is seeking your financial help, get the person to provide answers to questions only the actual friend or family member would know, such as the name of a mutual friend’s spouse.
- Don’t do anything without first verifying the person’s identity and talking with friends or family members.
