Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 65
The scams most likely to
hurt your 昀椀nances
Investment scams remain
the biggest 昀椀nancial
threat. These often
promise easy returns,
guaranteed pro昀椀ts,
insider access, crypto
opportunities or AI
powered trading systems.
A common red 昀氀ag is the
promise of high returns
with little or no risk. In
legitimate investing, risk
never disappears. It is
simply managed.
Crypto and “AI trading”
scams deserve particular
caution. Globally, criminals
are using slick dashboards,
fake account balances and
fabricated testimonials
to create the illusion that
an investment is growing.
Victims may even be
allowed to withdraw a
small amount early, which
builds trust before larger
deposits are requested.
Remote access scams
convince people to
download software or give
control of their computer
Payment redirection
scams are also increasing.
These occur when a
scammer impersonates
a business, supplier,
conveyancer, builder or
professional service and
changes the bank details
on an invoice. This can be
devastating because the
payment may feel routine.
The invoice may even
relate to a real transaction.
Phishing scams are
designed to steal login
details, card numbers,
passwords or identity
documents. They often
impersonate banks,
government agencies,
telcos, delivery companies
or subscription services.
or phone to someone
pretending to be from
a bank, telco, software
company or government
agency. Once inside,
scammers can access
accounts, passwords and
personal information.
Romance and
relationship scams
are among the most
emotionally harmful.
AI can now help
scammers maintain long
conversations, create
fake images and build
trust over time. The
request for money may
come only after weeks or
months of grooming.
