Malaysia Private Investigators Caution Parents on Social Networks

In the past five years the internet has been playing a major role in marketing and communication. With the declared media war between Facebook and Google, the two companies have been updating applications, partnering with other companies to provide users with new services and novelties. The social network frenzy is in full swing, and millions of young people are connecting online like never before. In Malaysia and many other countries, law enforcement has seen a sharp rise in the reported crimes involving romance scams, relationship fraud, identity theft and hacking. Internet criminals are now targeting social networks for easy victims, particularly young people, and Malaysia private investigators warn parents to talk to their children about the risk.

Some Malaysian entrepreneurs with a criminal mind are fast becoming masters of spam and other forms of deceptive mass marketing. Such spam and internet targeted scams can impact people around the world, and because criminals are now targeting Facebook, this site alone has more than 750 million reported users to choose from. Criminals can set up free accounts and begin to hunt for new victims, gaining their trust by becoming “friends” and then slow extracting their personal information such as address, date of birth, full name, etc. The pieces soon come together and the criminal is able to steal his young victim’s identity. Adults too are at risk, but experts say youth victims are perhaps the easiest targets online, as they are more trusting.

Kuala Lumpur investigators say scammers in Malaysia and the Philippines have been evolving the techniques of reaching more and more victims with two main objectives. First, stealing your money through advance fee fraud or romance scam, and obtaining goods or gifts from their new “friends”. According to the National Security Office based in London, England, UK and Malaysia private investigation firms are working together with international private investigators to prevent scammers, spammers, identify theft criminals and pedophiles from reaching children online.

Experts say globalization and an online world has replaced important values, and families are now different around the world. Children are growing up in single parent homes, homes with lesbian or homosexual “parents” and kids are spending more and more time behind the internet. Kids used to be couch potatoes, stuck behind the t.v. Now, children are spending countless hours in front of the computer, and law enforcement and Malaysia private detectives in Kuala Lumpur urge parents to talk with their children, and make sure they are aware of the risks online.

The fact is, despite what websites may want you to believe, there is no real privacy online. A good example of this is Google Maps, which provides a photograph, street view and even direction on how to get to your child’s address. If a criminal is a friend of your child on Facebook, chances are he knows when your child is home alone. The result, unfortunately, can be deadly. Such services and social networks are helping criminals in a big way, as they provide crucial information about you, your family, job and everything on your profiles. Investigators urge caution.

For online relationships involving Malaysia, it’s important to be aware of the risks online, and also the growing number of reported scam cases in the country and the region. If you believe you have met someone honest and trustworthy, be safe and consider a confidential background check to verify the subject’s identity and background. A professional Malaysia private detective can help you minimize the risk, know who you’re dealing with, and avoid being a victim.

All the best,

A. Hathaway
© 2011 A. Hathaway