Be Alert to Scams: Protect Yourself from Con Artists

people

Poonam Junjunwala

. 6 min read

Don't immediately accept a stranger's phone when they hand it to you with the request to snap their photo. Have a quick look at them first. Politely declining the request is preferable if the person making it seems suspicious or unpleasant. Maybe this is all a hoax. After you get your hands on the phone and activate the camera, you quickly see it's damaged. The photo's picture has been ruined. After you return the phone to the stranger, they claim that it is broken. Seek a safe environment, if possible, and consider reaching out to local authorities or using the omegle chat for guidance on handling this escalating situation.


Tips to Stay Safe in Everyday Situations

Leave in Peace

Clearly state that you will not fall for this and that you will be calling the police if they get too violent. An unwashed guy or lady rushes up to you as you go along the street. They put on an act of homelessness and seem to always be in a rush. They flash a peculiar coin and claim to have discovered it in the bowels of an ancient home. A extremely uncommon specimen, the stranger assures us, with a value in the thousands. You snap a picture of the coin and look up its history online, and what you read about it checks out. The currency doesn't come cheap.

A homeless person wouldn't get that much money for it, thus they wouldn't be able to sell it

For a few hundred dollars, they'll give you the coin. The deal seems good for your buck, but it's all a scam. Someone you don't know gives you a fake that just costs a few bucks. They decline the purchase and then phone the police while feigning poverty and homelessness.

It's not only him that he can fool

It's easy for burglars to advertise their presence at your home or apartment by sticking a poster, newspaper, or sticker to your door. An old scrap of paper or a plastic bottle tab will do. The burglars will know you're away from house if you neglect to remove one of these things for an extended period of time. Thieves use this to flag easy-to-break-into structures and dwellings. Indeed, breaking into an empty flat is significantly less risky. So, remove any potential threats as soon as they are discovered. A flyer or book mark left on the door for even just a few of days may alert a burglar to the fact that no one is around to protect their house.

There's nothing stopping them from being legitimate advertising stickers

There may be odd labels on the House or apartment door numbers, crosses, or other symbols, in addition to Flyers. Houses are tagged in this way so that they may be easily identified by burglars. A break in is imminent. It's best to report such a notice to the authorities if you come across it. When you go up to your automobile, you notice something strange: the windscreen wiper is covered with fabric.

Don't attempt to take it off just yet

Collect yourself, get in the vehicle, and leave this area as soon as possible. Thereafter, you may move the cloth to a new spot and remove it without worry. The truth is that the con artists deliberately and tightly knot the wipers' fabric. When you fumble with your shirt, trying to remove it. They may steal your vehicle and drive off or even leap out of it. Meaning "from behind" here. You pull into the supermarket's parking area and exit the vehicle.

Another, more costly automobile pulls up next to us

A well-dressed guy who seems to be financially secure approaches you and requests some cash for petrol. One of his complaints is that his cellphones often die. His gas tank has run dry, and he hasn't had a chance to go get his wallet. As soon as he gets to the phone, he says, he'll wire you the money. Don't give him any cash; he's a con artist. It might appear. He seems like he'd be honest and would refund the money if given the chance.

He seems like a nice enough guy, but his clothing and automobile are probably rentals

During the day, he cruises the city in search of sympathetic motorists from whom he might borrow money to pay for petrol. He ends up with a sizable sum that he doesn't return at the end of the day. A gorgeous coin or a phone lies on the ground as you pass by it on the street. It's firmly affixed to the road, so don't try to take it up. You can't pick it up even if you tried. Your initial instinct will be to pick up the thing off the floor, and while you're doing so, the con artist will dash by and steal your purse. This ingenious strategy reminds me of putting cheese in a mousetrap.

We've all seen the movies where the crooks give the dog treats

Even sleeping drugs before a house burglary so the dog won't bark and alert the homeowners. When compared to how everything seems online, real life is significantly more awful. Your dog is a target for thieves. Just so we can get in and out of here quicker. The disappearance of the family dog is not always indicative of an impending burglary. But if this occurs, you should be cautious. Social media is a popular pastime for criminals. Don't be in a hurry to share pictures from your international trip. This action is equivalent to shouting to the whole planet.

The photographs should be uploaded from the comfort of your own home

Sometimes, criminals work together. Scammers using mobile devices were able to access the social media accounts of certain victims, allowing them to learn when these victims were planning to take vacations. They passed the information along to the actual thieves. So, you're on your way home from the office when you realise you've nearly run out of petrol. Strange, since you just filled up the tank. To determine whether or not your automobile has a gas leak, you take it in for service and to a gas station.

Yet in the meanwhile, burglars may steal from your home

They empty your car's petrol tank on purpose to force you to fill it up. They keep you captive in order to make a purchase. This is the time to do some serious housecleaning. You should ask your neighbours to keep an eye on your home or apartment if you just refilled your gas tank and then discovered that it had been depleted. A new home cleaner is cause for concern if you use such services on a regular basis.

The cleaning service should notify you whenever a new cleaner is hired

If you don't believe me, you can always phone and ask about the new cleaner. If the criminal has learned of your new job, they may be interested in breaking into your flat to look for valuables. Don't allow the maid enter the home until the cops arrive. Thieves might even pose as service professionals like plumbers or even medical professionals.

If you must toss away paper, at least shred it first

Forgery may be committed in a variety of ways using discarded papers. Further suggestions to protect your possessions against theft are provided below. Hold on there, please. Trash bin full with empty packaging for electronics such as new televisions, laptop computers, and gold wristwatches. It's not necessary to flaunt your lavish lifestyle. Don't dump trash like that around your home. The boxes may also be concealed from view by using plastic bags.

If you have private windows and there are trees nearby, you should prune them back

They're sturdy enough that a robber can use them as a ladder, too. Houses with thorny rose bushes or cactus growing beneath the windows are less likely to be broken into. A warning sticker reading "Beware of Angry Dog" might be posted outside. Nobody will want to come in there even if they don't know you have a pet.

You may even mount a dummy surveillance camera

As a bonus, it will deter would-be thieves. Even if you're far away on vacation, you may make it seem as if someone is home. There's no need to keep the stereo or TV playing. The TV may be left on with the help of a unique timer you can set. That's the case each and every day. Also, unique timer-equipped light bulbs allow them to leave the house's lighting on for twenty to thirty minutes each night. Mailboxes full of mail are an easy target for burglars while you're gone.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it's essential to be vigilant and cautious in various situations, especially when dealing with strangers. It's best to decline any suspicious or unpleasant requests politely. One should be aware of common scams, such as being approached by someone claiming to have found a valuable coin or being asked for money for gas by a stranger with a well-dressed appearance. One should also be careful about advertising their absence from home by leaving flyers or stickers on their doors or sharing vacation photos on social media. Being aware of these scams and taking preventative measures can help one avoid falling victim to these types of crimes.