{"id":9275,"date":"2023-10-10T11:39:51","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T18:39:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/blog\/?p=9275"},"modified":"2022-03-14T16:44:05","modified_gmt":"2022-03-14T23:44:05","slug":"top-10-spooky-scams-to-watch-out-for-this-halloween-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.socialcatfish.cloud\/scamfish\/top-10-spooky-scams-to-watch-out-for-this-halloween-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Spooky Scams to Watch Out For This Halloween 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

At Social Catfish<\/a>, we have covered numerous scams that our users need to watch out for and have been victims of. Since Halloween<\/a> is approaching, the scammers are still going to transform this spooky season into something frightening as they find a way to drain your bank account. Because of this, we wanted to compile 10 of the most spooky scams to watch out for in one article! Here are some of the most frightening Halloween<\/a> 2023 scams you need to watch out for, and how to avoid them.<\/p>\n

Top 10 Spooky Halloween 2023 Scams to Watch Out For<\/h2>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Scary-halloween-pumpkins-788608-scaled.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”off” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

#10 Money Flipping Scam<\/h3>\n[aesop_video src=”youtube” id=”pmMqgoxBhko” width=”100%” align=”center” disable_for_mobile=”off” loop=”off” controls=”on” mute=”off” autoplay=”off” viewstart=”off” viewend=”off” show_subtitles=”off” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

With the money flipping scam<\/a>,\u00a0scammers know that people are desperate for money and will do whatever it takes to make more money. Scammers know this and have created the money flipping scam that is hard to resist.\u00a0You receive a message, claiming that you can earn two, three\u2026 even ten times more money than you are earning now within minutes. All you need to do is send the scammer the requested amount of money via CashApp<\/a>, Venmo<\/a>, or another money transfer app<\/a> and they will supposedly flip your money within minutes.<\/p>\n

There have even been scammers that have asked for your bank account information<\/a> so they can take the money out themselves\u2026 yikes!\u00a0These scammers often have bad grammar, with missing words and misspellings.\u00a0Once you send them the money, they take it and block you off of whatever social media platform<\/a> they were using to message you.<\/p>\n

How to Avoid:<\/strong> In these Halloween 2023 scams, don’t send anyone any money, even if they promise they can earn you even more cash. Don’t download anything or click on any random links that you aren’t used to, since these could all have malware that could infect<\/a> your devices.<\/p>\n

#9 Online Shopping Halloween 2023 Scams<\/h3>\n[aesop_video src=”youtube” id=”mgeZ2XBJcFo” width=”100%” align=”center” disable_for_mobile=”off” loop=”off” controls=”on” mute=”off” autoplay=”off” viewstart=”off” viewend=”off” show_subtitles=”off” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Online shopping scams<\/a> happen when scammers create fake websites<\/a> that look like the online store<\/a> you love, such as Amazon<\/a> or Netflix<\/a>, when they pretend to sell a product just to take your money and give you nothing in return, and when they trick you into alternative payment methods outside of the website you are purchasing from.<\/a><\/p>\n

For example, in the video above, Georgie from Social Catfish<\/a> talks about how scammers created fake websites and promised them a puppy in exchange of payment. The customer pays the scammer money and even sends more money to the scammer when emailed about shipping costs, but yet doesn’t receive their dog.<\/p>\n

How to Avoid:<\/strong> If you’re purchasing an item or pet locally, meet with the seller in-person to examine your item or pet before purchasing it. If you went on a fake website that a scammer created, be sure to report it to the FTC and local law enforcement while educating your family members and friends about it on social media platforms, such as Facebook<\/a> or Twitter<\/a>. Also, contact your credit card<\/a> company if you made the purchase on your card to get a new card number, and possibly your money back. If you don’t trust the website or seller, don’t make the purchase, and don’t use alternative methods of payment such as a wire transfer or gift card to another store.<\/a><\/p>\n

#8 Work From Home Scams<\/h3>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Businesswoman-analyzing-financial-charts-786230-scaled.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”off” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

A scammer posts a listing on Upwork<\/a>, Indeed<\/a>, or another job-listing website claiming to have a work-from-home<\/a> opportunity for their victim. The victim sees this and applies for the job, hoping they get it to improve on their experience and finances. The scammer contacts them wanting to do an interview, but it’s not the traditional online video chatting<\/a> interview we are all used to. They want to do the interview over Google Hangouts<\/a> or Kik messaging<\/a>, claiming that their “video camera is broken.”<\/p>\n

They barely ask you any questions on Google Hangouts, other than some really private personal information such as your date of birth or social security<\/a> number. They then ask for your address so they can mail you a check for a few thousand dollars. With this check, they instruct you to cash it and buy supplies for your new job. They also ask that you send the extra thousand dollars back to them, claiming that it was an “accident that they sent you the extra thousand dollars.”<\/p>\n

However, what you don’t know is you just deposited a fake check<\/a> in your bank and received the fraudulent cash to purchase your supplies. You also sent the scammer<\/a> the rest of the money that they didn’t have before, but now they do thanks to the fraudulent check. The bank then goes after you and makes it your responsibility to pay them back the money<\/a> you stole, since you were the one that cashed in the fraudulent check.<\/p>\n

How to Avoid:\u00a0<\/strong>If someone wants to interview you through any instant messaging app<\/a>, that’s your first red flag. A legit business<\/a> would want to get to know you, your personality, and your skill-set before hiring you onto their team, which can only be achieved through video chat, phone interviews, or meeting you in-person. Your second red flag would be giving them your address or any other personal information that could be used to commit identity theft<\/a> against you. Your third red flag would be depositing the paper check they mailed you when businesses<\/a> nowadays give you money via direct deposit into your account.<\/p>\n

#7 Business Email Compromise (BEC) Phishing Scam<\/h3>\n[aesop_video src=”youtube” id=”7cORy1kkpXw” width=”100%” align=”center” disable_for_mobile=”off” loop=”off” controls=”on” mute=”off” autoplay=”off” viewstart=”off” viewend=”off” show_subtitles=”off” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

The BEC Phishing Scam,<\/a>\u00a0which also includes the invoice scam<\/a>, happens when scammers send employees an email that looks like an official email address from that business. The email looks legitimate and makes a financial request that seems believable. These emails<\/a> can ask for a number of things or can come up with a number of excuses as long as the scammer is provided with money.<\/p>\n

Some of these excuses can include:<\/p>\n