Don't be too eager to take up an offer – the “too-good-to-be-true” rule applies to online shopping, vehicle purchases and house-hunting as much as it does to other investments. Scammers love to make your dreams come true, just as much as you love a good bargain. Shop around and compare prices, investigate the quality of the product as well as the trader offering the product. If it is not from an established, reputable business that can be verified, then rather keep looking.

Don't buy high value goods, cars, or expensive assets without viewing them in person and having a professional assessment completed. Purchasing a motor vehicle without completing a road worthiness test of your own or checking the property ownership records with the Deeds' office Deeds’ office for a home or real estate purchase are both very high-risk purchases.

When purchasing a vehicle,always conduct an accident history and road worthiness assessment and confirm the registration and ownership details with the Department of Transport and Motor Vehicles before making any payments.

When purchasing a property, your emotions run high, especially if it's a new home, and you may forget to conduct the necessary checks. Always check ownership and value of the property and if possible, get in contact with the current owners to confirm that the property is for sale and that the person you are dealing with is the genuinely appointed real estate agent. For private sales, do a background check on the owner as well, to make sure that the sale is not a scam.

Scammers forge the documents they present to you and once you pay the requested deposit the scammers either invent some excuse for not being able to hand over the asset and not refunding your deposit, request additional payments or simply disappear with your money.