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Common Consumer Scams

Foreign Employment Scam

If you come across social media messages or ads offering foreign employment opportunities that seem too good to be true, be wary. These types of people may ask you to either remit the money or send money to a wallet or deposit funds into a bank account as a “processing fee” or for other pre-employment expenses. These messages are often scams and the people behind them are trying to make money off of you. Do not fall for these frauds.

Lottery Scam

Beware of any messages or calls claiming that you have won a lottery, whether domestic or foreign, and requesting that you pay a fee to claim your prize. These scams often occur through social media, phone calls, or messaging apps like WhatsApp or Viber. Even if the notice appears legitimate, it is important to exercise caution and not send any money to claim a lottery prize. These types of scams are designed to trick you into giving away your money.

Internet related purchase Scam

Beware of internet ads that offer extremely cheap products or services that seem too good to be true and ask you to send money through IME or deposit it into a wallet account. These sellers may ask for payment for delivery or a booking fee, and may even send fake authentication letters or emails. Do not send any money as it is a scam and you will not receive the merchandise. Any money sent cannot be recovered.

Relative/friend in need scam

If you receive a call or message from a stranger claiming that a family member or friend is in the hospital or has had an accident and needs money for medical treatment or needs to pay fines/penalty urgently, it is probably a scam. Be careful about sending money in these situations. If you can’t verify with your family or friends that they are actually requesting money, do not send it. You may lose any money you transfer.

Loan Scam

Beware of scams involving requests for money in exchange for a loan. This can occur through ads, social media posts, emails, letters, or messages. If you are asked to send money in order to receive a loan, do not do It. This is a scam and once you send the money, it will be difficult to recover. Protect yourself by being cautious and not falling for this trick, as it could result in the loss of the money you sent.

Donation Scam

Be careful of any ads, messages, social media posts, or calls that ask you to donate money to help people in need, especially after a natural disaster such as a flood, fire, or earthquake. Some of these may be scams trying to trick you into giving money. To protect yourself, make sure to check if the organization asking for donations is real before giving any money. If you do send money, it may be difficult to get it back.

Newspaper ads Scam

Be wary of any ads that ask you to send money in exchange for a product or service, especially if the offer seems too good to be true. These types of scams may promise high returns on investments, easy loans, or products at significantly discounted prices. Always do your research and verify the legitimacy of any company or individual before sending any money. Be especially cautious of ads that require you to remit the money or deposit it into wallet account or bank account, as this is a common tactic used by scammers and it can be difficult to recover the money once it has been sent.

Romance

If you’ve made friends online and things seem to be going well, but then they suddenly ask you for money to solve a financial problem or to travel to meet you, be very careful. These could be scams and you may not be able to recover the money sent. Be cautious when someone you’ve only met online asks for money.

Networking Scam

Networking scams are fraudulent schemes that use the guise of professional networking opportunities to scam individuals or businesses. Be cautious of any unexpected job offers or business opportunities, especially if they seem too good to be true. Don’t give out personal or financial information to anyone you don’t know, and be wary of requests to transfer money or pay upfront fees for promised services. Do your research and verify the legitimacy of any company or individual before engaging in any business dealings. Remember that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Other Scams

Pyramid Scheme Scam

A pyramid scheme is a type of investment scam in which each person involved recruit’s others to join. Money made by the new members funnels up to the higher members. At the top of the pyramid are the scammers who take in all the money and leave the rest of the members with nothing. These schemes often rely on the constant recruitment of new members to bring in funds, as there is no real product or service being sold. Pyramid schemes are illegal in many countries, including Nepal, and are a form of investment fraud. If you are approached to join a pyramid scheme, be cautious and do your research before investing any money. Be wary of any opportunity that requires you to recruit new members in order to make a profit, as this is a common tactic used by pyramid scheme operators. Remember, if an investment opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Rent/Housing/Land Scam

Be careful of anyone who asks you to pay an upfront fee to help you find a house or land to purchase or rent. Some of these people might ask you to deposit money into their account and then not be available to contact. It’s best to only deal with people you know or who have a good reputation. Be wary of anyone who asks for money before they provide a service.

Identity Theft

It is important to exercise caution when it comes to sharing personal information, such as citizenship documents, driver’s licenses, passports, or other forms of identification, with individuals or websites that are unknown or untrusted. There is a risk that this information may be used for nefarious purposes, including identity theft and illegal financial transactions. To protect yourself, it is advisable to keep personal information private and only share it with trusted sources or on secure websites. ID’s can be used to open wallet accounts or do unauthorized domestic remit transaction.

Online Gambling

Online gambling, including sites like 1xbet and bet365, is illegal in Nepal. If you use IME or IME Pay, it is important to stay away from these types of sites. They may have agents who help people use and withdraw money from the site. However, if you lose money through online gambling, you won’t be able to get it back. If the police catch you gambling online, you could face legal action. So it’s best to avoid online gambling altogether.

Pin/Password Theft

Pin and password theft is a type of cybercrime in which an individual’s personal identification numbers (PINs) or passwords are stolen and used to gain unauthorized access to their accounts or personal information. To protect yourself from pin and password theft, it is important to use strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts and to avoid sharing them with anyone. You should also avoid writing down your passwords or storing them in a location that is easily accessible to others. If you suspect that your password or PIN has been compromised, it is important to change it immediately and to monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity. It is also a good idea to enable two-factor authentication on your accounts, which adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to provide a one-time code in addition to your password when logging in.

Be aware of all the Scam and notify your nearest police station and file a case regarding the scam

Phishing/Fishing Scam

Phishing and fishing are types of cyber scams that are designed to trick individuals into revealing sensitive personal or financial information, such as passwords, login credentials, or credit card numbers. These scams typically involve the use of fake emails, text messages, or websites that appear to be legitimate, but are actually designed to steal your information.

To protect yourself from phishing and fishing scams, it is important to be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown or suspicious sources. You should also avoid entering personal or financial information on websites that you do not trust or that do not have a secure connection. If you receive an email or message that asks for your personal or financial information, do not respond or click on any links. Instead, contact the company directly to verify the authenticity of the request. It is also a good idea to use anti-phishing and anti-virus software to help protect your device from these types of scams.

PIN/Password/OTP Share

Do not give out any personal information like PIN or passwords or OTP to anyone, especially for your wallet or bank account. If you do, someone may be able to take your money without your permission. It will be hard to get your money back once stolen.