Remember to stay safe and protect yourself, as online frauds have increased over the last few years and scammers are getting smarter. In the article below, we show you the most common scam types, and what to do if you think you have fallen victim to fraud.
Fake Job offers
What to look out for:
- Someone contacts you through text message or common encrypted message platforms like WhatsApp, or Telegram and offers you an easy job.
- You are promised a high income while working from home and with little effort.
- The hiring process is quick and looks nothing like a standard process (no interview or discussion about your qualifications, experience, and references, no contract or contract with hardly any obligations and information in it).
- You may be asked to download a new online bank app, or download and use a cryptocurrency wallet for the job.
- The job involves transferring money, engaging in online videos by posting comments and “liking” them, making purchases, or receiving packages on behalf of someone else. You might be expected to make deposits for premium products or tasks which are increasing in value and frequency.
- You are asked to top up an account with your own money or cryptocurrency to complete the assigned tasks.
- At the beginning, you may be deceived by receiving a very small payment for completing a job or task. But soon enough, you are told that the balance is negative and in order to get the commission, you need to pay more of your own money first.
Investment scams
What to look out for:
- You are contacted via popular social media, messaging apps, or dating platforms about a “risk-free and guaranteed” way to make money. You may even find such offer yourself, on advertisements placed on the most popular social media platforms.
- Scammers might use professional-looking websites, fake news stories, online ads, and social media posts to make the scheme look legitimate.
- Scammers may falsely claim that certain celebrities or wealthy investors support or use the investment.
- You might receive a call or message from a so-called financial advisor, investment expert, or broker who seems knowledgeable about cryptocurrency, Forex, or other markets.
- You are always guaranteed high and fast returns with no risk.
- The scammers are very eloquent, charismatic and may pressure you to act quickly.
- You are asked to invest using cryptocurrency or to send funds through unfamiliar platforms (you may be asked to download a new online bank application or create a wallet at the cryptocurrency platform).
- You may be asked to install a share screen program that would allow the scammers to see your screen or even actively gaining control over your screen.
- You may see some fake profits on a dashboard, but when you try to withdraw funds, you’re requested to pay fees, taxes, or make another deposit.
- At the beginning, scammers may give you a small return of profits, just to convince you to invest more and that the offer is valid and profitable.
Fake stores, special offers & sales
What to look out for:
- You find store or special offer selling luxury goods, electronics, or trending items at unusually low prices. The price is too good to be probable.
- The website looks professional but has no standard elements, like: contact details with support, no Terms & Conditions and/or Privacy Policy; or both are present but are very short and do not offer much information.
- Fake website may copy logos, images, or branding from real companies to appear legitimate. But if you look closer, you may see differences and inconsistencies.
- When finalizing the purchase, you have to pay by transfer to an unknown recipient, cryptocurrency, or other non-refundable methods. The recipient’s name is different from the website or payment gateway name.
- The purchased item never arrives — or you receive something completely different or low quality.
- The site may stop working once they get your money.
Phishing scam
What to look out for:
- You receive an email or message claiming to be from your bank, delivery service, or a well-known company. The message asks you to click a link, open an attachment, or urgently “verify” your account or payment information.
- The sender’s email or phone number looks suspicious or slightly off from the real company’s address. Look for additional letters, numbers within the sender’s e-mail that a real company would not have.
- You are requested to provide personal details, credentials, or full card numbers.
- The message you receive uses threats, such as account suspension or missed parcel delivery, to pressure you to make the payment.
- You are contacted by someone who pretends to be a tech support, your bank, a government agency, tax office, or even an investment platform.
- You are asked to install remote access software (like AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or similar) so they can “help” or “guide” you through the process. By doing this, you are giving the scammers power to see and use your screen (PC or phone).
Romance scam
What to look out for:
- Someone contacts you on social media, a dating app, or messaging platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram.
- They are very charismatic, and express love for you very quickly.
- They don’t use video calls or phone calls, they always contact you via social media, applications, text messages.
- At some point, they start asking for money — for tickets, medical bills, a temporary loan, or an “investment opportunity” that supposedly made them rich. They always promise to pay you back. When you send money, you are told not to use standard payment channels, but to use cryptocurrency, gift cards, or transfers to different recipients. They always ask for money to be sent using channels that do not allow retrieving the funds back.
Loan scam
What to look out for:
- You are offered a quick, formalities-free loan, even if you have poor creditworthiness or no financial history. There are no checks, interviews, applications, or even no loan agreement.
- The fake lender uses social media, email, or messaging apps like Telegram or WhatsApp.
- You have to pay upfront fees for “insurance,” “processing,” or “guarantee” before receiving the actual loan.
AI voice cloning scam
What to look out for:
- You receive a sudden voice message or call from a loved one or a friend, claiming to be in trouble and asking for money.
- The voice sounds familiar, but the request seems strange, emotional, or rushed.
- You're pressured to send money immediately, often via cryptocurrency, bank transfer, or prepaid gift cards.
- The caller's number might be spoofed to match a real contact.
How to spot a scam attempt?
Remember about these rules to keep your online finances secure:
- Legitimate lenders never ask for money upfront.
- Never send money to someone you haven’t met in real life.
- Never agree to give any access to your device to anyone you don’t know, trust and verify. Real companies or financial institutions will never ask you to share your sensitive details or access your device.
- Always use the Internet to research the seller, read online reviews, and avoid deals that seem too good to be true. Majority of fake website or fake offers have bad opinions online, since people were cheated by those previously.
- Never send more money to unlock and access your profits — this is not how the investments work!
- Never install unknown programs or share your PC/phone screen. Never share your sensitive login credentials with anyone!
- Never act because someone told you to. It’s your right to double-check and make sure you want to send money to someone.
- Regularly review your financial statements and transaction history. Look for any unauthorized or suspicious activity and report it to ZEN.COM immediately.
- Ensure that your device's operating system and all financial apps are up-to-date with the latest security updates.
- If someone is asking for money over a call or voice message, even it’s your loved one or a friend, hang up and call the person back using a trusted number. Ask a personal question only they would know.
- Do not assume a familiar voice you hear is the safe request. Always verify.
What to do if you think you may have fallen victim to a scam?
- Stop contact with the potential scammers at once.
- Immediately change your credentials and don’t share those with anyone.
- Block your payment card to prevent any further unwanted transactions.
- Remove all screen-share programs from your devices.
- Contact us at hello@zen.com or in-app chat.
- Report the scam to your local authorities.
- If possible, try to screenshot or save the communication you had with the scammers – it may help us and the authorities to investigate the case.
For more information, visit the websites below:
- Stay Safe with ZEN - Campaign website
- European Banking Federation - multilanguage
- Financial Conduct Authority (United Kingdom)
- Financial Supervisory Commission (Republic of Poland)