The Gullibility of Reckless Social Media Users.
Through the statistics done by the Singapore Police Force(SPF), it is proven that as time goes by, the presence of social media platforms has contributed to the increase of crime rates such as scams and blackmails.
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| Singapore Police Force(SPF)'s statistics in the highest crimes rates as of 2015. |
Online Shopping Scam
If you could get ANYTHING at a cheaper rate, would you? That's what I thought. We live in a world where we would ALWAYS try to find any item we can that is the cheapest out there in the market. However, along the way, we get caught with how cheap an item is that we forget to question ourselves so we end up getting scammed.
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| A poster by Singapore Police Force(SPF) on Online Shopping Scam. |
The Internet exists in many forms but one of the biggest components of the Internet is social media.
There are many who uses social media platforms to communicate and meet new people. But out of all the new people you meet, how many can be trusted? Some lucky ones get to date or make friends and start a proper relationship or friendship respectively through social media. However, those were unlucky ends up being in a fake friendship or relationship gets involved in fake feelings, fake needs, fake support etc., and thus comes in fake transactions - fraud.
Credit-For-Sex Scam
A random person adds you on a social media platform asking for a favour in return for a sex favour. What would you do? These days, many men have taken up this offer and they end up getting swindled. In exchange for dates, meet-ups, massage, sexual or escort services, these men have to return the favour by purchasing cards or online shopping credits.
Cyber Extortion
One of the other ways this matter could escalate is the case of cyber extortion also known as sex blackmail. I remember watching this television show on Channel 5 called Crime Watch that is filmed based on the true cases of the Singapore Police Force. The ever so common case was on Cyber Extortion. Many gullible teenagers fall into the trap of online predators and ends up getting blackmailed in return for cash.
In my previous post "Social Media: The Sharpest Knife To Open Wounds", I mentioned the case of a girl named Amanda Todd who killed herself after going through many phases of cyber-bullying. She was also a target of online network of sexual extortionist. To find out the ENTIRE story of Amanda Todd's case of sextortion, click this video!
In conclusion, social media has had made such a huge impact on many that it is now considered as a crime. The fact that SPF is making such posters and placing it around the country to raise awareness has clearly shown the severity of this problem thus coming out with the solution and ways we can keep away from such scams.
Are you ready to accept the fact that social media platforms indeed brings such negative impacts or do you still think it is still a place we call us teenagers refer to as 'heaven'? Comment and tell me what you
Not convinced yet? Check out my other blog posts to expand your perspectives!
Xoxo,
A.
Not convinced yet? Check out my other blog posts to expand your perspectives!
Xoxo,
A.
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