Nowadays, it seems like you have to be extra careful with what you do with your time on the internet. There are many hackers out there who can use any small detail about you to find out anything they want. With just your name or birthday, they can find out your home address, social security number, and even the value of your house!
Internet users are also no stranger to scams. These emails are from users who often claim to be people they are not in an attempt to persuade us into giving them money. Often, they speak for a special fund or cause, and appeal to a stranger's sense of purpose to extort money from them.
Rebecca Pastore is a mom who runs her own business, and she almost became the victim of a very elaborate scam. All the signs indicated that the email she received from a representative from NBC Universal was legitimate — but one small detail signaled otherwise.
The email stated that Rebecca and her business could be featured on television. The producer, with whom she also spoke on the phone, wasn't pushy and claimed that a few celebrities were going to be involved in the endeavor.
Then, the catch: the stranger asked for a payment of $12,000.
That's when Rebecca looked into who exactly she was dealing with. She looked up his email address and noticed one small detail: the difference in domains between the one of the person contacting her and the one assigned to the employees of NBC Universal.
Now, she's warning others that these scams are becoming more and more elaborate. It's always a good idea to confirm who you're contacting before giving away money!
Please SHARE if you have tips for your friends on how to avoid scams like this one!
