Updated on: March 25, 2024
In a revealing interview with SafetyDetectives, Jorij Abraham, the Managing Director of ScamAdviser and the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), shares his insights into the digital battleground against fraud. ScamAdviser, known for its algorithm-driven platform, helps millions of consumers distinguish between legitimate websites and potential scams, providing a vital resource in the fight against online fraud. With a mission rooted in consumer protection, ScamAdviser collaborates with over 100 partners worldwide, including law enforcement and cybersecurity firms, to enhance threat intelligence and safeguard online shoppers. Abraham’s dedication to this cause highlights the continuous and evolving challenge of combating sophisticated online scams, making ScamAdviser a cornerstone in the quest for a safer internet.
Can you introduce yourself and provide an overview of your role and responsibilities as managing director at ScamAdviser?
I am the Managing Director of both the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and ScamAdviser.com.
Can you provide an overview of ScamAdviser and its mission?
The mission of both GASA as well as ScamAdviser is to protect consumers from scams.
GASA is a non-profit organization that lets governments, law enforcement, financial service providers, telecom operators, platforms and cybersecurity companies work together to protect consumers worldwide from scams.
We do research and organize working groups, and events such as the Global Anti-Scam Summits in America, Europe and Asia.
ScamAdviser.com is an algorithm that determines the likelihood that a website is legit or a scam.
We have more than 6 million consumers checking our database monthly adding more than 2 million new sites to our database.
We share our data with 100+ partners (law enforcement, consumer authorities, brand protection agencies, cybersecurity firms, financial service providers, etc.) to improve threat intel, IP infringement identification, and KYC processes.
What information does ScamAdviser provide about online businesses?
Fighting online scams is a 24/7 job, and we couldn’t hope to do it without the help of our sophisticated ScamAdviser algorithm.
An algorithm is simply a set of rules and indicators that our systems follow, and check on any website you type into our handy search bar. This enables us to give you a simple and easy to understand ‘Trust Score’ (as a percentage) within seconds.
While we can’t reveal everything about the analysis taking place behind the scenes (otherwise the scammers would know too!), I can share a bit.
The core principle of our Trust Score is that it is based on positive and negative indicators. Certain factors will increase a website’s score, whilst others will decrease it. The Trust Score is decided by taking all the relevant factors into account! Keep in mind that the Trust Score is dynamic and can change over time as new data is gathered, such as changes in the website’s content and infrastructure, or new user reviews.
How does ScamAdvisor differentiate between legitimate businesses and potential scams?
It is not easy. And scammers are using more and more advance technology to scam people. AI, or better Machine Learning, is being used to write phishing emails, start fake chat conversations, create photos of non-existing products and persons and deep fake videos for romance and BEC scams.
How can I verify the legitimacy of an online business before making a purchase?
There are plenty of red flags to look out for and indicators that you should avoid an online business. Here are a some of the most common ones:
Too Good To Be True?
- Be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true, such as luxury items at half price.
- Compare prices with trusted websites to gauge the legitimacy of the deal.
Social Media Presence
- Check if the online shop’s social media links actually lead to active profiles.
- Functioning and active social media accounts can be a good indicator of a legitimate business.
- Be wary of non-functional social links or profiles without content, as they may indicate a scam.
Examine the Fine Print
- Review the website’s Terms & Conditions, Shipping, and Returns Policies for signs of professionalism.
- Poorly written or incomplete policy pages can be a red flag for illegitimate operations.
Brand Name Usage
- Be cautious of websites using brand names with terms like ‘discounted’, ‘cheap’, ‘sale’, or ‘free’.
- Legitimate websites typically offer multiple brands and do not heavily discount premium brands.
- Evaluate the quality of logos and pictures; scams often use low-quality or stolen images.