The unexpected money scam
The Unexpected Money scam
What's coming up?
In this activity, we'll look at a scam that is far older than the internet, the unexpected money scam. This type of scam uses a range of tricks to convince you to pay some money now to receive a lot more money in the future.
We'll cover how to spot such scams, and look at some of the most common types.
Start activityHow to recognise the unexpected money scam
With this scam, you usually receive an email promising a lot of money for a small upfront fee. The opportunity will likely appear too good to be true, and any money you pay will be gone forever.
If you receive an email like this, just ignore it. Do not reply to the email or click any link in the email.
The inheritance scam
In this version of the unexpected money scam, you get an email from someone pretending to be a lawyer or banker, saying that you’ve inherited money. They will tell you that the cash is tied up in red tape, however, and you’ll need to pay an expert to free it up.
It may be tempting, but do not reply to the email, or click on any link in the email. Just ignore it.
The lottery scam
In this very common scam, you receive an email saying that you’ve won a lottery or competition that you haven’t entered. It will explain that you were entered automatically when you visited a website. You just need to pay an administration fee to collect your money.
You should ignore any emails like this. Do not reply to or click on any links in the email either.
The Nigerian prince scam
This famous scam is a story about money that is "trapped" inside a country by political unrest. You receive an email saying that, with some financial help from you, it can be released and you will be generously rewarded.
You should not reply to the email, or click on any links in the email. Just ignore it, or delete it.
Spotting a scam
What do most unexpected money scam emails have in common?
They are completely safe and trustworthy
Click to flip
Incorrect. Unfortunately, they are not at all safe or trustworthy and should be ignored or deleted immediately.
They sound too good to be true
Click to flip
Correct. Yes, that's right. Sadly, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
They should be taken seriously and acted upon immediately
Click to flip
Incorrect. They should be ignored or deleted immediately.
Congratulations!
You've completed the Unexpected money scams activity. With these types of scams, you know that they all have a common trick: pay a little bit now for a promise of a big pay-off in the future - that sadly never comes.
You've learnt how to quickly identify them, and that there is a simple way to deal with them: just ignore or delete them.
The next activity looks at a different type of money scam, the Money for nothing scam.
