How to detect scams on the Internet.

Today technology has changed our societies. The internet has served as a point where buyers can meet long distance sellers and exchange goods and services without even meeting with each other, this is one of the advantage of the internet, but today this opportunity is being abused by Hackers and Scammers. One might think that hackers are the only threat to online businesses but alas many people have lost huge sums of money on the Internet to scammers. All this is because they tend to trust people on the Internet. I shall shed more light on the various ways by which people can detect scams and avoid being victims. Such scammers make use of advertising websites and place ads such as; housing for rent, puppy for adoption/sale and jobs vacancies. They also engage in online dating.
How to detect “apartment rental” scams First to people whom surf the Internet to find for rentals they should be aware that scammers are very deceiving people and have sugar coated words. When you find an apartment you wish to rent be sure to find one close to you, demand staunchly to see the owner of the apartment, also demand to view the apartment in concern and this should be done together with the owner or the real estate agent showing you around. Don’t believe excuses such as the owner traveled on a business trip and would staying for a long time neither should you accept that the keys be sent to you via a courier service after you make a payment. An old lady lost her savings to scammers who told her that they traveled on a business trip and would send her keys to the apartment after she had made the required payments. Be sure not to make any payment or deposit of any kind especially when they make it mandatory that payment be made in cash through Western Union, before you meet with the apartment owner physically. I lost $200 to a scammer who said I should pay a deposit before he sends me keys to ‘his apartment’. Lastly if you have to transact on the Internet do not rush into making any payment even when you feel very convinced that it is not a scam.

PLEASE NOTE THAT: I am not trying to discourage trading online but to advice unsuspecting buyers to be careful not to fall victim to Internet scams.