Yahoo Boys -: Several individuals have been victims of internet fraud. It often starts with a simple mail from an unknown friend. Trusting strangers with your personal details can turn from adventurous to ugly very fast. The most popular and oldest format of internet fraud is the Yahoo Yahoo!
This, of course, got its name from the popular mail provider that was first introduced at the advent of the internet, yahoo mail. Back then in the 2000s, people easily believed what they saw on the net even the ones from strangers.
Maybe due to the over-excitement of experiencing something new. As a result, many were duped of large amounts of money either paid directly or withdrawn from their accounts.
These internet fraudsters Yahoo Scam Alert, popularly known as Yahoo boys often come up with one cocky story about a big estate or huge amount of money left behind by their dead uncle, father or employer and the need to partner with someone to withdraw the money and split it. This is the most popular and oldest format of yahoo scam, it’s called the yahoo inheritance format.
It always has something to inherit and requires you to cooperate with them by sending some money or giving them your account details to withdraw from. In return, they promise to give you some percentage of the money which ran into millions.
They might even present forged legal agreement to be signed by both parties. These fraudsters often preyed on the emotions, greed, and ignorance of their victims to dupe them. This method is still trending amongst many others and people are still falling victims.
Someone once said “if it appears too good to be true then it’s probably not true. This is the easiest way to benchmark these messages before you jump onto the bandwagon. Ask yourself, do I know this person? Why does he feel he can trust me? Does he not have relatives and friends, why me? Make sure you clear every doubt before deciding to count yourself lucky.
Yahoo on its own has also taken measures to identify these fraudulent emails using their filters. That’s why you mostly find this mail in your spam box. Now, that is enough to tell you that the mail is a scam. There are some steps you can still take to protect yourself from scammers:
- Never send your card details and other personal information that is linked to your money to any stranger online. Mind sites you divulge such sensitive information to.
- Arranging anything with strangers who are asking for payment will most often result in permanent loss of money. It is very rare that people recover the money that they have lost to the scammer.
- If you have received a suspicious message, do not rush into believing everything you see and negotiating with them. It will only make things worse for you. This is what they’ve trained themselves in so they can sound very convincing. Seek advice from someone who knows these things, such as a lawyer, financial planner, accountant or a family member who has had experience with fraudsters.
- Look up the name of the fraudster on the Internet. Even if the story seems believable to you, you should never jump into instantly sending money to this person. Often, a simple Google search of their name can do wonders. You can often find other victims of their fraud this way and read their stories.
- If you see a scam e-mail in your inbox, it is strongly not recommended to respond to it and ask questions. The ones in your spam are there for a reason, don’t be curious lest you will be tempted. They will find a way to play on your emotions and make you fall for their scheme. It is much better just to leave it without reply or even without an opening.
- Don’t make the mistake of clicking any link in such emails, you might be inviting a virus hence still giving them access to your system.
If you got a suspicious e-mail that touches the inheritance topic, it is definitely a scam from Yahoo Boys, the sole purpose of which is to make money off your trust.
If you or your friends were scammed into providing personal details, you should immediately contact the bank or other financial institution and seek help. You are also advised to report scams to the authorities, including the detailed description of them (e.g., screenshots of the e-mails you received). Perhaps it will prevent other people from making mistakes. Create awareness, share your bitter experiences of closely related ones with people so they can learn and be safe.