Security

How To Prevent Fraud

We all at Mapletrite Inc. believe that it is our crucial responsibility to protect our users from fraud and our system from being used as a channel for fraudulent activities. Managing and preventing fraud risks is one of our key objectives. Because we also have a reputation for protecting, Mapletrite will take decisive actions against any and every form of scam. But we can’t do it alone; please work with us to prevent fraud. Everyone is susceptible to fraud. Unsuspecting individuals fall victim to fraud scams daily. Mapletrite does not want you, our valuable user, to fall victim to internet fraud. Don’t fall victim; stay alert. Here are some tips on how to spot the signs of a scam:

Scammers May Pretend to Be Someone You Trust.

Scammers may try to get your money by contacting you and claiming to be someone in a position of trust, such as a government official, a bank official, or a charity. Do not provide personal details or transfer funds to such persons, even if the number or location of such number appears legit. It is relatively easy to use fake caller ID information. Government and bank employees will never request that you wire funds. It is also common for the imposter to pretend to be a family member or a friend in distress, needing cash for an emergency. Some examples of such emergencies could be claims that they need the money because they are being detained, involved in a car accident, or need to pay fines. Never send money before verifying with your family member or friend that they have indeed requested such funds from you by calling them back on a number you know belongs to them, contacting them using a different medium, or asking personal questions that an imposter would not be able to answer.

Never Send Money to People You Do Not Know Personally

Most fraud involves the victim sending money to a stranger, whether you know that this person is a stranger or whether this stranger has befriended you for some time. This request may also come from someone you have “met” online, through an ad, e-mail, chat room or any other form of messaging – even if you have exchanged pictures and spoken on the phone. Please do not send them any money. They will disappear together with your money.

Romance Scam

Here, the scammers fish online for “romantic relationships”; they take their time to build this relationship and work to establish and build trust, which can take several months of chatting, calls, sharing of “pictures,” etc. After trust has been established, scammers gradually begin to ask their victims for money for different things, ranging from hospital bills of a loved one, rent, travel expenses, school fees, etc. If you ever need to look for love online, please be alert for signs that may signify that the person on the other end may not precisely be who they say they are.

Online Purchase Scam

Scammers often pose as online retailers using fake websites or creating counterfeit ads on real websites. Ads on cars, hair, cell phones, event tickets, etc. While there are many genuine online sellers out there, unfortunately, scammers can use the anonymous nature of the internet to rip off unsuspecting shoppers. Be careful when sending money in response to an offer on the internet.

Advance Fee Scam

Scammers pose as legitimate companies and lure their victims into paying fees in anticipation of receiving something of more excellent value, like a loan, gift, contract, job, or grant. The victim sends money to the scammer using a money transfer service but receives nothing in return. This scam also involves selling products or services, holiday getaways, prizes, investment offers and lottery winnings. These things never existed; they were made up to get the victim to pay.

Phishing

Phishing is a widespread way of obtaining a victim’s online banking details. This is when you receive an email asking you to click on a like or button. These links could be by clicking an attachment, enabling macros in Word documents, updating a password, or responding to a social media connection request. The links in these emails take you to fake online banking websites where your banking information is obtained by scammers, which they can use to access your account. These emails can infect your computer with viruses, Trojans, and spyware. Some characteristics of phishing emails are:

An Unfamiliar Tone or Greeting
Grammar and Spelling Errors
Inconsistencies in Email Addresses, Links, Domain Names
Threats or a Sense of Urgency
Suspicious Attachments.
There's a catch.
You are asked for sensitive information.

Employment Scam

The victim responds to a job posting, is employed for a non-existent job, and sends a fake check for the job. The check amount will exceed the victim’s expense charge, and the victim must send the remaining funds back to the scammers using a money transfer service.

Lottery Scams

You may receive news (through any medium) that you have won a grand lottery prize you do not recall participating in. You are requested to wire some funds to cash out your bonus. Even if this amount is small compared to the cash prize you are being offered, it is a scam. You might even receive a check and be asked to wire taxes and fees. The bill is probably fake (even if cashed), and you will lose any money you send and the money you cashed from the fake review.

Purchases or Rentals

Never wire money to purchase or rent something from someone you do not know, whether you have seen the advertisement on a website, a newspaper, a magazine, a letter, email, or SMS. There are other ways to send your payment safely. Such purchases or rent could be for anything, ranging from an apartment to a puppy, timeshare, or car. The scammer may even copy a legitimate rental or sale listing, or he may make up listings of property or things that do not even exist.

Charity Scam

A recent natural disaster has left an entire nation reeling in the aftermath of destruction, and you want to do your part to help by donating money. Sadly enough, natural disasters such as floods, tornados or hurricanes often result in scammers staging "charitable" organizations that prey on well-intentioned people. Your heart goes out to these people who have just lost everything. You receive a call or a letter from a charitable organization telling you exactly where to transfer money. Be sure to never send money to people or organizations that you don't know. Instead, contact the American Red Cross or another trusted organization that you know and that you understand how the funds are being collected and used. Chances are, if you transfer money to an organization you don't know, your money will not go to the intended cause but into the pockets of scammers.

Do your research.

You can always use a search engine to search for a number or “company” that is reaching out to you and requesting money. Search using words like “scam,” “fraud,” or “review.” You can also search for a phrase that describes the situation that you are in, for example, “call from the bank requesting a money transfer.” If you send money because of a scam, it is doubtful that you will ever get your money back. Mapletrite Inc. is NOT responsible for verifying the authenticity of the person you’re dealing with.

Report Fraud

If you suspect that you have become a victim of fraud, you should:

Report to your local police immediately
File an online complaint with www.ccts-cprst.cacontact them by phone at Toll- free: 1-888-221-1687
If the fraudster contacted you through the internet, you should also file a report with the www.222tips.com

Contact Mapletrite Inc.'s Stop Fraud Unit.

We want to know about it so that we can do everything in our power to make sure it doesn't happen again.