Criminals and scammers are creative, and they have found ways to use the internet to scam people out of their hard-earned money. The good news is that many of these scams are now recognizable, making them easier to avoid. 

Here are some common examples:

• Asking for money in exchange for a sale item without showing you the item first: “I don’t have pictures of the TV right now, but trust me, it’s a great deal. It’s going to go fast. Just send me the money.”
• Offering to connect you to inheritance: “One of your long-lost relatives left money for you in a foreign bank. To get it, wire us $100.”
• The Nigerian Prince scam: “Wire us money to help free a Nigerian prince who’s been kidnapped. You’ll be rewarded millions for your assistance.”
• An attractive person on a dating site wants to meet, but they just need a little money for a ticket to come see you: “I feel a strong connection to you and think we’re a perfect match, but I’m hard on cash. Would you send me the money for the plane ticket?”
• An employment offer that hinges upon an initial payment: “We’ve got a great work from home job for you. You can make $1000 a month. Just send us $50 for some processing equipment, and we’ll get you started.”
• Request for donations to a cause you don’t personally have a connection to: “Donate to our friend, Abdul, who needs money after his house flooded.”

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Always think twice before answering a WhatsApp message or SMS from a person or business you don’t know.