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The following has been published by Which.co.uk The strangest scams of 2024 From Royal membership cards and £3 laptops to loans for the deceased, here are the most bizarre and audacious fraud attempts we've spotted this year.
It's been a year of major wins in the fight against scams, including new rules forcing banks and payment firms to reimburse many fraud victims. Yet there are always loopholes to be exploited in fraudsters' bid to steal victims' cash, which is why the criminals aren't going quietly. While many scams are sophisticated and convincing, we continue to see a sprinkling of more far-fetched attempts throughout the year. Read on to find out about some of the most peculiar inducements, from lunching with the monarch to mystery gifts from billionaires.
Royal membership cards
Royal scam: A bizarre Facebook post offered meals with the monarch. Facebook users have reported seeing a bewildering social media from King Charles. It advertises a 'Royal membership card' granting the bearer three annual visits with the monarch himself. And the perks don't end there. Those splashing out are also promised free flight tickets, two iPhones, a cap and a T-shirt. For those wanting a truly luxurious experience, upgrading to the 'VIP' version of the card secures you an outlandish array of benefits including a 'minimum wage from the royal house of England', 'health insurance' and being 'recognised as a fan' of the royal family. Those expressing interest in the 'offer' reportedly receive bogus application forms requesting copious personal data and are quoted 'fees' in the thousands.
Loan for dead uncle In a jaw-dropping fraud attempt that made headlines across the world, a woman in Brazil was arrested in April after reportedly wheeling a recently deceased uncle into a bank branch to sign off a loan. The suspect was observed repeatedly trying to place a pen in the hand of her uncle, who is estimated to have been dead for at least two hours. She was later charged with a fraud offence, which she denies. The appalling incident in Rio de Janeiro came to light after concerned bank staff called for medical help, as reported by the Guardian.
£3 laptops Dell and HP laptops offered for £3 by Argos were nothing more than a scam designed to entice unwary Facebook users, with Argos confirming the deal was fake. In January, posts began to appear on the social media site claiming that Argos was clearing its stock of older models, or that it had 'terminated its contract' with laptop manufacturers. Some posts bizarrely claimed that the offer was only available to those over 35. In reality, it wasn't available to anyone, and those falling for it probably had their personal and payment details stolen.
Google Maps menaces Terrified victims have been menaced by highly targeted emails from scammers, which contain Google Maps screenshots of their house plus their names, address and phone number. The email falsely claims the scammer has taken control of their device and obtained compromising images of the victim, in a bid to extort them into paying a sum of bitcoins.
Jeff Rothschild giveaway No annual roundup of strange scams is complete without a fake email from a famous billionaire, offering riches to a random stranger. This year the offer claimed to come from US billionaire and Facebook founding engineer Jeff Rothschild, who urges the recipient to look at his Forbes profile in case they're unsure who he is. 'I’m offering you a gift,' he explains, 'not just in material form, but as a gesture of appreciation for who you are' – despite not knowing you we are. Anyone interested in receiving the gift is urged to respond with their full name and address so he can 'guide you through the next steps'. In reality, this is a form of advanced fee fraud in which you'll be tricked into making a payment yourself to 'release' your windfall.
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year! | ||||
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