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JACKSONVILLE, Fla.<\/strong> \u2013 A cryptocurrency scam is sweeping through TikTok.<\/p>\n According to the Better Business Bureau, it starts with a scam artist posting a video of a large pile of cash that a con artist claims they made in just a few days by investing in cryptocurrency and that they can do the same for you.<\/p>\n Once you message the con artist, they\u2019ll ask you to send money through Paypal, Zelle, or Venmo for a cryptocurrency \u201cinvestment.\u201d<\/p>\n Once the money is sent — they\u2019re gone and so is the cash.<\/p>\n Cybersecurity expert Chris Hamer recommends everyone have a particular mindset in place to avoid falling victim to get-rich-quick schemes online.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re walking down the street and somebody comes up to you and says I can double your money, just give me 20 bucks and I will give you 40 dollars back just as soon as I get back. Are you going to give it to them? Probably not,\u201d Hamer said.<\/p>\n Hamer said it\u2019s important to understand that everything that appears on social media might not be what it seems.<\/p>\n That goes for playing online games or participating in seemingly harmless social media quizzes or for influencers with thousands of followers selling you products.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so malevolent the way they do it,\u201d Hamer said of the social media quizzes. \u201cDepending on how many of these stupid participation things that you\u2019ve done, I know your favorite color, I know your dog\u2019s name, I know your favorite food. And all of this is used to build up a profile that goes into a database. Some of it is used for targeted advertising.\u201d<\/p>\n Hamer said it\u2019s important to remember that \u201cfree\u201d is never really \u201cfree\u201d with online services.<\/p>\n \u201cAny time anybody offers you a free service it\u2019s because you\u2019re the commodity. They\u2019re selling your information and your access and your likes and dislikes to advertisers,\u201d he said. \u201cYou are what they\u2019re selling to advertisers. You\u2019re the commodity.\u201d<\/p>\n Hamer said the quizzes can also be used to glean more personal information that can be used for identity theft — like tricking you into sharing your birth month with a \u201cchoose your birthstone\u201d quiz and then sharing your birth year and day in a separate quiz that appears to be from a different group but really isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n The less information you give out, the less likely you\u2019ll be scammed, he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n