Fraud attempts are numerous and their forms are very fast in change. One of them is online scam. Here are some advice to i) identify them, ii) help you have the right reflexes and iii) protect yourself.

What is a Scam ?

A scam is the act of obtaining a good, service or money by deceiving the victim. The Ministry of the Interior in France exposes the various points on which deception can relate :

• Name (use of a false identity)
• False position or status (by pretending to be a legal or health professional or by using a false marital status such as claiming to be widowed when the spouse is still alive)
• Abuse of the trust attached to certain professions, certain functions (mayor, union representative, association president, etc.)
• Presenting false documents (for example false diplomas or invoices)

What are the Most Common Internet Scams ?

Phishing

This scam technique aims to collect personal and confidential information by email (login identifiers, credit card number, etc.) and bring the victims to the point of carrying out a financial transaction. Examples include lottery scams, job offers, bogus charities, etc.

Vishing (or Voice Phishing)

Vishing is a method of phishing by phone, also intended to extort confidential financial or security data from victims, or even to encourage them to make a money transfer. Fraudsters call their victims pretending to be employees of well-known and trustworthy companies.

SMiShing

SMiShing is a scam method similar to phishing that takes place via SMS. The SMS proposes to the victim to carry out manipulation from his phone, encouraging him to click on malicious links or to download apps (which activate viruses aimed at stealing passwords and other personal or banking data).

Fake Financial Investment

Many scams are based on a fake website, which imitates that of an official company or institution. The usurpers try to make their victims subscribe to fictitious financial investments, offering returns much higher than those of the market, with the aim of diverting their money. Generally, savers are challenged by flashy advertisements on the Internet. Once the victims click on one of them, their personal data is collected via an online contact form. They are then recontacted by a false adviser who puts them in confidence. They are asked to make a first investment, then a second… When they want to get their money back, the bogus adviser has disappeared without a trace. Foreign savings books, grand crus, rare earths, diamonds, Forex trading, renewable energies, livestock, or even crypto-currencies are at the heart of these deceitful and misleading frauds that ride the tide of fashions.

Fake Computer Support

This scam technique consists in scaring the victims by an alert message popping-up on their computer indicating a serious technical problem. The goal is to push the victims to urgently contact the telephone number of a fake technical support, which will pretend to help them out (using even this opportunity to install pirate software) to extract money from them.

Ten Best Practices to Adopt to Avoid Pitfalls

1. Never Share Your Personal Information

Never communicate your personal information (bank identifier, personal code or any such security code) by message, email or phone. Your bank or customer service never need your password to access your account. We also advise you to check your privacy settings on social networks to limit access to your information and thus avoid theft of your personal data.

2. Check the Reputation of the Requestor

We encourage you to do research on the people or organizations that contact you and to take time to verify the seriousness of the organization or company that is contacting you, or even its existence.

3. Pay Attention to the Sender's Email Address

When you receive a mail on your e-mail address, always check the sender's e-mail address and some extra details :

1. is it its usual address ?
2. is the e-mail addressed to you personally ?
3. does it seem normal in form and content ?

In the event of a fraud, the sender's email address uses the name of the organization or company whose identity is usurped but often contains anomalies (inconsistencies in the logo, stretching of the logo, typographical errors, misspellings or grammatical errors, poor or pompous wording, improper formatting…). These must incite distrust.

4. Don't Click on Links, Do Not Open Attachments

The email may contain either a link to a website impersonating a company's official website, or an attachment. Do not click on links unless you are sure of their origin and do not open attachments from suspicious emails. This will avoid giving your information to scammers and infecting your computer with a virus or malware.

5. Beware of Urgency

The word "urgent" should also alert. Often used to put pressure, it should instead be a call for vigilance. Cease any approach with unprofessional and overly insistent advisers. Don't hesitate to hang up.

6. Do Not Respond to Solicitations

In the event of a scam and more particularly in the case of fake IT support, do not panic and above all do not call the number popping-up on your screen. Simply shut down or restart your computer.

7. Beware of too Attractive Offers

The Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) in France reminds you to be wary of all investment proposals, which at first seem attractive. “There is No High Return Without High Risk”. The AMF publishes warnings and blacklists of unauthorized companies and sites, which you should regularly consult on its website.

8. Go to Secure Sites

During your research and more particularly during your online purchases, make sure that your payment is made on a secure site (https address in which the "s" means "secure" or lock icon at the bottom of the page).

9. Perform Security Updates and Keep Your Antivirus Updated

Remember to perform security updates for your system, software and internet browser, keep your antivirus to date and activate your firewall.

10. Regularly Monitor Transactions on Your Accounts

It is always advisable to consult your accounts regularly and monitor the debits made to avoid fraudulent transactions.

How to report a scam ?

If in doubt about the legitimacy of an email, text message or call, do not hesitate, contact the company. You can report all types of online financial scams on the PHAROS platform, the official portal for reporting illegal content on the Internet. If you are the victim of a scam, you must immediately alert your bank and block your bank card or checkbook.

Focus on Olkypay

Be vigilant, scam attempts by phone or e-mail are currently underway by fraudsters posing as Olkypay employees. Olkypay is an authorized payment institution, dedicated to professionals.

It Therefore Does Not Offer Financial Investment, Insurance or Credit.

No interlocutor presenting himself as an employee of Olkypay or as one of its service providers is authorized to contact you to ask you for connection data or banking information such as username, password, bank details or confidential code. If in doubt, contact Olkypay Customer Service.