There are many sites (Example: AdsGlobe.com) on the Internet which allows free classified ads. It is as simple as going to a site and placing an ad for anything for free. This creates a very unsafe environment for the public; ads can be placed without any back round check or screening.But selling or buying stuff online always involves some level of risk. Today so many are affected with frauds.

Here are 10 common methods and warning signs of online fraud:

PayPal Fraud:

Most of the classified sites are doing transactions through PayPal. With the rapid growth in the number of PayPal users, frauds on PayPal accounts have become more frequent and severe.

To access a PayPal account you need to have the username and password of the account. The username of a PayPal account is the main email address (primary email address) used to register the account. The security system is quite secure as long as the username and password of the PayPal account are known only to the actual owner of the account. If these details are available to anyone else it would mean that the security of that PayPal account has been compromised.

Automotive Fraud:

A fraudster posts a vehicle for sale on an online classified site, generally for luxury or sports cars advertised for thousands less than market value. The details of the vehicle, including photos and description, are typically lifted from other sites and re-posted elsewhere. An interested buyer, hopeful for a bargain, emails the seller, who responds saying the car is still available but is located overseas. He then instructs the buyer to send a deposit amount to initiate the “shipping” process. The innocent buyer gives the funds, and does not discover until days or weeks later that they were scammed.

Travel Fraud:

Some Travel agencies tries to fraud by posting fake ad posting in the classified sites asking to buy cheap Travel packages and tries to impress on the offers they are providing.

Once the traveller has paid the processing fee, the travel agent will come up with additional charges or in extreme cases even disappear.

Dating Fraud:

The classified sites are providing a category for Dating. And some sites are providing only Dating ads. Online dating scams and fraud are almost as old as Internet dating itself. The person who frauds often tries to develop a relationship, and eventually convinces the victim to send money. The scammer often meets the victim in chat rooms or via online dating classified sites. Their object is not to get into their hearts, but get into their wallets. They will try to earn someone’s affections and trust so that they can persuade him/her to send money. The requests for money can either be a one time event or repeated over an extended period of time. After spending time communicating and building a relationship with the victim, the scammer will ask for help in the form of money.

Rental Fraud:

Fraudsters operating are trying to confuse those who are seeking on rent. The scammers posts an ad in the classified site that property is for rent and pretends to be the owners of a property and when the customer responds to the ad, fraudsters ask to make a deposit and for some personal information to be sent via email. Keys to the home, they promise that they would be sent as soon as possible.

Car Dealer Fraud:

Most auto classifieds online give a price, which you can work with, but a regular trick, which is frustrating and time consuming for customers is this.

When the dealer wants to get rid of the old car quickly, the dealer will run large advertising with classified sites, with the prices ridiculously below cost. When the advertisement runs, the dealer waits for customers to flood through the doors. The customer will be buying that old car thinking to be new car and deposits the amount to the dealer assuming that he is buying a car at very low cost. He doesn’t know about the fraud until he receives the car or he may not even receive the car.

Work-at-Home Scams:

Work at home job offers are more in classified sites. The job offer section is almost filled with work from home, online data entry, Earn Money Typing at Home, Real jobs with Real companies and so on.

Why are so many people interested in these types of jobs?

The answer is so many people are interested in work from home jobs so that they get to work from home, spend more time with their family, don’t have to worry about leaving house and getting stuck in that traffic.

So some companies are taking advantage of this fact and post ads in jobs category since the latest trend in searching job is through online classified sites. Companies say that they guarantee that you will get a job. The only you have to do is to have a one-time, lifetime enrollment fee and that enrollment fee is backed with a 90-day money back guarantee. All we ask is that you participate in the program for 60 days and once they receive payment they will not respond back.

Pet Classified Scams:

In recent years, online Pet Classifieds scams have increased and have affected many people.

Online classifieds scams pose threats to both sellers and buyers.

Posing As a Seller: A Person can post an ad for a puppy that only exists in the item description. Actually, seller doesn’t have the puppy that he/she is trying sell or give away. Seller will then ask for money and refer them to the shipping company who is supposed to send the puppy to the buyer. Buyer waits for few days and contacts the seller, but no answer. Tries again for couple of more days, no answer. Finally buyer decides to call the shipping company with the reference number for the puppy. Shipping company replies that they don’t have anything related to this reference number or it is not for your puppy. Buyer loses money.

Posing As a Buyer: A scammer can pose as a buyer of a puppy and contacts the seller. Buyer is desperate to buy and accepts your listed price and suggests that his/her agent will pick up the puppy with a check that is more than the asking price. In return, they ask buyer to deduct amount for the item, get remaining amount and give a fake cashier’s check. Seller will lose the puppy and the money.

Home Improvement and Home Repair Fraud:

Each homeowner wants their home to be as comfortable as possible. Home improvement or home repair can be a major expense and every homeowner looks out for the best deal that is available in the market. These large sums of money attract fraudsters to the home repair industry looking for ways to scam your money, while offering you fraudulently services.

Scammers post that they are offering to do expensive fixes for a fairly low price. This is just one technique dishonest home repair firms use to hook customers. Once you sign the contract and pay in advance, they don’t show up to complete the job and leave you with phony contact information.

This article is sponsored by www.dealsglobe.com