Members of the infamous Ming family were sentenced to death in Wenzhou, China, on September 29, for allegedly managing dozens of scam centers, along with illegal casinos and drug smuggling, in neighboring Myanmar. Of the 32 members of the family convicted, 11 were given the death penalty. The Ming family are said to have used the money earned in illegal gambling activities to open dozens of scam centers, where they were employing at least 10,000 people.
The working conditions were atrocious, with employees in slavery-like conditions—they are reported to have been tortured and beaten. During the trial, it emerged that some workers were shot dead while trying to flee.These scam centers ran sophisticated online frauds, which affected all parts of the world, though mainly targeting rich Western countries. The estimated revenue of the scam centers and casino activities has been reported as US$1.4 billion since 2015.
Given the large scope of these crimes, you may very well have been approached by one of these scammers. In this gallery, we present 30 of the most common online scams, so you can be better prepared to recognize them.
From phishing attempts that cleverly pose as trusted organizations, to the age-old Nigerian prince scam that repeatedly lures victims with the promise of great riches, these tricks have left a trail of financial ruin and emotional suffering.Learn more about the modus operandi of these scammers, and explore some real-life examples of infamous incidents. Click through for more.