Frequently Asked Questions
FRAUD PREVENTION
FRAUD PREVENTION TIPS
There may be individuals trying to commit crime using fraudulent schemes using money transfer service companies and we recommend that you check before you send money or before making a transaction as 'if the proposal is too good to be true, it may be fraud'
We strictly recommend to send money only to the people you know (including companies that use other Money Transfer Services).
Remember you are responsible for verifying the identity of the intended beneficiary of the person to whom you are making the transfer to.
We cannot accept responsibility for loss of funds as a result of a scam or fraud.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE FRAUD?
Whatever type of the transaction you are making through our services, it is your responsibility to verify the legitimacy of the beneficiary to whom you are providing money transfer to. E.g. the seller of a product or the provider of a service.
Some common fraud scenarios you should be aware of :
Being required to pay a fee before receiving a loan, package from a courier.
Sweepstakes, prize, or lottery company representatives who tell you to transfer money to them in order to claim a prize you have won.
Unsolicited letters or e-mails from Nigeria or other foreign government officials requesting assistance to transfer funds from a foreign country into your bank account.
Telephone calls from the police claiming someone you know has been in an accident or arrested and money is needed.
Unsolicited letters or e-mails offering an unrealistic price for expensive or difficult to find items.
Any proposal from a stranger to pay in advance for any service or an item.
Any invoice which was not sent from a verified source and was not confirmed by the issuer directly.
HOW TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM BEING A FRAUD VICTIM?
Never send money to strangers using a money transfer service.
Beware of deals or opportunities that seem too-good-to-be-true.
Exercise caution when paying for online auction purchases with money transfer services.
Never send money to pay for taxes or fees on foreign lottery winnings.
Watch Out for Lottery Fraud.
Beware of Up-front Payments.
“Millions Waiting to be Shared”.
“They have found your dog”.
Remember, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is the fraud.
Be cautious if
You receive a too good to be true offer. For example, an expensive product at a cheap price
You're the winning bid in an online auction. The seller only accepts payment via money transfer.
You are told that you won a lottery/prize. You have to pay taxes before you can collect your winnings
Someone responds to your ad saying that they've found the things that you lost and are claiming the shipping/reward costs
You've sold something but received a check that's more than the amount asked. You're then requested to send back the extra amount through money transfer.
You're offered a low-cost loan, but first you must pay the fees or the first few payments via money transfer
You received a call from someone claiming to be a police or a hospital employee asking for money for the bail or treatment of a loved one
ALWAYS
Know the person that you're sending money to
Buy goods and services from trusted sources
Avoid paying for online auctions via money transfer
Exercise higher caution when buying or selling expensive items from someone outside the country
Discontinue any transaction if someone coaches you on ways to respond to questions asked by Polaris. It's a sure sign of a fraud
Contact the police immediately if you think you're being scammed
Someone claiming to be from your company e-mailed me. What should I do?
We do not email customers unless it’s in relations to a transaction in process initiated by you or in response to your email to us in the first instance and will never ask you for your ID and Password, account information or banking information in an email.
If you receive an email from anyone claiming to be from our company and you are unsure about it, do not click on any links in the mail. This may be a "phishing" attempt to acquire sensitive information from you. Instead, immediately forward the suspicious mail to info@polaris-finance.com.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SUSPECT FRAUD OR AM A VICTIM OF A FRAUD?
We recommend you to contact your local Police Station if you are uncertain or suspicious of a telephone, mail, or e-mail solicitation.
If you feel you have been a fraud victim, contact your local police immediately. If you used our services or was asked to deposit to a reference into our account, you should contact our customer services department to alert us to the situation.
WHOM TO CONTACT IF I SUSPECT THAT I AM BEING DRAGGED INTO FRAUDULENT SCHEME?
If you used our services or was asked to deposit to a reference into our account, you should contact our customer services department to alert us to the situation.
WHO HAS TO VERIFY THE LEGITIMACY OF THE BENEFICIARY OF MY TRANSFER?
We are a great way to send money to those that you trust, not to someone that you do not know.
Remember that we will never act as a guarantor.
You are responsible for verifying the identity of the intended beneficiary of the person to whom you are making the transfer to.
HOW TO VERIFY THE LEGITIMACY OF THE BENEFICIARY OF MY TRANSFER?
Please google for a scam or a fraud every piece of information you have on the counter-party or a deal you are going to pay for: e-mail, name, phone number, and context. For example – scam xxxx@gmail.com.
In case someone has sent you an invoice from our name, please contact us for the confirmation.
Please educate yourself on known scam schemes:
CAN I PROVIDE 3RD PARTIES WITH INFORMATION ABOUT MY ACCOUNT?
Under no circumstances are you recommended to share this information with 3rd parties.
IS POLARIS RESPONSIBLE IF I TRANSFER MONEY TO A WRONG PERSON OR A WRONG ACCOUNT?
We cannot accept responsibility for failure of your chosen beneficiary for the non-delivery of goods or services nor for the quality of the goods or standards of the service from the beneficiary.
If you are purchasing goods or services, it is your responsibility to verify the legitimacy of the seller or provider. We are not responsible for the quality or not-receipt of any goods or services.
We are not responsible if you transfer money to a wrong person or a wrong account. There may be individuals trying to commit crime using fraudulent schemes using money transfer service companies and we recommend that you check before you send money or make a transaction.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF PURCHASING FROM ONLINE AUCTIONS?
Paying money into our bank for a client reference number is the same as sending cash to a person once completed it is irreversible.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF SENDING MONEY TRANSFER AS A DEPOSIT?
Paying money into our bank for a client reference number is the same as sending cash to a person, once completed it is irreversible.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF SENDING CASH MONEY TRANSFER AS A PAYMENT FOR A SERVICE?
We are a money sending business and that means it is our responsibility to move the money from point A to point B (transfer funds from a sender to a receiver). When using our services, we advise that you take caution when sending money to strangers. It is the sender's responsibility to know the party to which the funds are being sent. Paying money into our bank for a client reference number is the same as sending cash to a person, once completed it is irreversible.
DO YOU OFFER AN ESCROW SERVICE OR ANY KIND OF BUYER PROTECTION?
Be wary of third-party "collection" or "holding" services unless they are reputable, licensed escrow services. We are not an escrow service, should not be used as an escrow service, and are currently not affiliated with any escrow services.