There is a well-known wise saying, Caveat Emptor, which is Latin for Buyer Beware. In other words, when purchasing goods or services, it is essential that the buyer take every precaution in examining the item or service that he is purchasing.

The publishers of Silver Lake Publishers have produced an excellent and pragmatic book, Scams & Swindles: How to Recognize and Avoid Internet Era Rip-Offs, which focuses on many of the common tricks and scams that fool people and consumers, particularly if we are involved in one way or another with the Internet, whether by email or otherwise. It is worth mentioning that although some of these scams appear to be relatively new, their modus operandi dates back hundreds of years, as they rely on the imagination of the scammer and the gullibility of the victim.

The book takes a very realistic look at Internet scams and uncovers important details related to scams such as eBay auctions, Nigerian emails emanating from some bogus high-ranking government official requesting the use of his bank account to transfer funds, scams involving investments, business and banking, fake charities, Russian boyfriend and girlfriend scams, drug and pharmaceutical scams.

The authors also include important details about how Internet hackers operate and commit their crimes, as well as something that is becoming more common these days: phishing. Basically, this is when you receive emails from a financial institution that cleverly resembles one you’re currently dealing with, asking you to provide some very personal information. Another variation on the same theme is that it can originate from a site that appears to be eBay asking for your PIN number and some other important information. Internet criminals have become even more sophisticated in their implementation of phishing, in which an email, instant message, or other Internet communication is sent to you on behalf of someone else. As the authors point out, it really boils down to a form of identity theft.

Other topics examined and to which we are often subjected in our daily use of the Internet are the unpleasant and very often annoying practices of spam and spyware. Today, spam is not only limited to pornography, but also involves get-rich-quick schemes or miracle drugs. In fact, as the authors point out, a study by the British computer security firm, Clearswift Ltd, found in 2004 that financial spams topped the most popular list at 39%, while pornography was at the bottom of the list. , 4.8%. .

The authors have obviously done their research and done an impressive job of putting all the information together in a clear, upbeat, conversational style that introduces readers to valuable insights into the world of Internet crime. The message is unmistakable, think twice before clicking anything within the body of an email or giving information to someone and always keep caveat emptor in mind. Additionally, the authors’ elaborate suggestions throughout the book on how to prevent problems should not go unnoticed.

Author: The Silver Lake Publishers

Publishers: Silver Lake Publishing

ISBN: 1563437864