Prevention

Knowledge is Power

Scam Protection 101

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE GULLIBLE OR LACK COMMON SENSE TO FALL FOR A SCAM

The criminals dedicating their lives to scamming are not sending emails filled with spelling mistakes. They are highly skilled at targeting vulnerable people to scam and use common persuasion techniques to convince them to comply. Using escrow services can help to reduce the risk of fraud.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

Nelson Mandela

People

Profiles

Most at Risk

Single | Divorced | Widowed

People are more likely to be victimised if they do not have anyone to discuss the offer with. Using scam protection like an Escrow service is essential in situations like these.

Heightened Emotional State

Individuals engaging with scammers are likely to be in a heightened emotional state that impairs their ability to respond appropriately to misleading information.

Financial Insecurity

Individuals under financial strain might be more susceptible to scams, especially scams that promise financial rewards or an opportunity to get out of debt.

The highest victimisation rate was online purchase scams ~ Online Purchase Scams Report 2020 – BBB.org

Products

Preferred Types

Watch Out For

Did you know that you are far more likely to be scammed buying pets, pet products and clothing than digital devices online?

During five years of collecting data via BBB Scam Tracker, 25.2% of all reported online purchase scams were related to pets and pet supplies.

Using an Escrow service ensures you can enjoy safe, protected payments when dealing with strangers … or friends. Read our FAQ’s for more.

Tips

Prevention

Online and Offline Scams

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Research the business/website/person before buying. Ask friends and family or on forum websites for opinions.

DOUBLE CHECK SALES

Price is the top motivating factor for people who made a purchase and then lost money.

HARD TO FIND ITEMS

When shopping for a gift that’s either really expensive or hard to find, be very careful of the ones you find with discounts.

SEEING ISN'T BELIEVING

Just because a website looks legitimate with all the right badges, links and information, doesn’t mean it’s not a scam.

BUYING UNDER PRESSURE

When the item you’ve been searching for is suddenly available at a discount for a very limited time, stop and think. Scammers also know your shopping habits, just like legitimate marketers.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Insisting on a deposit or payment in full using a direct payment method like cash deposit, EFT, e-wallet or other payment that offers you no scam protection is an immediate red flag.

Check

Identify and Avoid

Fake Websites

Never enter sensitive information on a website that has http instead of https in the address bar. The added “s” is for “secure”.

If you’re lucky you can probably spot a scam website by picking up spelling mistakes, bad grammar and broken links.

Scammers must create & remove websites quickly. There are various online tools to check how old websites are. Young = Be Careful.

Look for easily accessible contact information and then use it to call, email and verify their address. Be wary if there isn’t much info.

Just because the pictures look professional doesn’t mean the product or company is. Photo Stock libraries are a dime a dozen.

Check the company for online reviews & complaints. In May 2020, even Google was topped by a suspected scam store.

Regulated

REGISTERED | COMPLIANT | INSURED | SECURE

Safe and Secure

Truzo Ltd (12528331), UK, Approved by Financial Conduct Authority (FCA 903083).

Truzo (Pty) Ltd (2016/390144/07) is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP 51539)

Truzo is regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) , registered with the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA) and conducts rigorous compliance checks on every Truzo user to ensure a safe and secure environment.