The most bizarre scams of the year

Scams can often be sophisticated and convincing, but 2024 has shown that fraudsters can also be downright bizarre.

From royal memberships to loans for the dearly departed, this year has delivered some truly outlandish attempts to part you from your hard-earned cash.

Let’s delve into the most peculiar scams of the year, so you can stay informed and safeguarded.

A right royal scam

Imagine receiving an offer from King Charles himself, promising a membership card granting you three annual visits with the monarch. Sounds appealing, doesn’t it?

Well, that’s exactly what some Facebook users encountered this year. The so-called 'Royal membership card' offered a range of ludicrous perks, including:

• free flight tickets
• two iPhones
• a cap and a T-shirt

If you were feeling particularly extravagant, you could upgrade to the 'VIP' version, which boasted a 'minimum wage from the royal house of England' and even health insurance.

Of course, this is all smoke and mirrors. Those who showed interest received fake application forms asking for a lot of personal information, along with fees that reached into the thousands.

A loan for a deceased uncle

In perhaps one of the most jaw-dropping fraud attempts this year, a woman in Brazil found herself in hot water after trying to secure a loan for her recently deceased uncle.

Yes, you read that correctly. She was caught attempting to wheel her uncle – who had been dead for at least two hours – into a bank to sign off on the loan.

The scene was as bizarre as it was tragic. Bank staff, realising something was amiss, alerted medical professionals, leading to the woman’s arrest. She has since denied the charge.

The £3 laptop con

If you stumbled upon a Facebook post claiming Argos was selling Dell and HP laptops for just £3, consider yourself lucky if you didn’t fall for it. This scam tricked many into believing they could snag a bargain.

The posts, which claimed Argos was clearing out older models or had cancelled its contracts with manufacturers, led many to hand over their personal and payment details. And let’s not forget the absurd claim that only those over 35 could take advantage of this 'deal'.

Argos confirmed that this offer was entirely fake, and those who bit the bait likely had their information compromised. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Google maps menaces

Scammers have taken to sending targeted emails that include Google Maps screenshots of victims' homes. These emails contain personal information like names, addresses, and phone numbers. They falsely claim that the scammer has taken control of your device and possesses compromising images of you, demanding payment in bitcoins.

This tactic is known as 'spear phishing'. Scammers gather information from data breaches and social media, creating a profile of you to make their threats seem credible. If you receive one of these emails, do not engage. Instead, take steps to secure your digital identity.

Jeff Rothschild giveaway

No roundup of strange scams would be complete without a phoney email from a wealthy billionaire. This year, a scam claimed to come from Jeff Rothschild, a founding engineer at Facebook. The email promised riches and urged recipients to check his Forbes profile to validate his identity. Rothschild allegedly offered a 'gift' as a gesture of appreciation.

But, as with all such offers, it was a crafty form of advanced fee fraud. Responding to the email would have led you to provide personal information and make a payment to 'release' your supposed windfall.

Remember, if someone you don’t know is offering you gifts, it’s more likely a trap than a treat.

Protecting yourself from strange scams

These scams remind us to stay vigilant. Here are some tips to help you protect yourself:

• Be sceptical of unsolicited offers, especially those that sound too good to be true.
• Never share personal information with unknown contacts.
• Check whether any offer is legitimate or through official channels.
• Keep your devices updated and secure to protect your digital identity.

Read more in our guide on how to outsmart online scammers.