Scam of the Day
Scam of the day – August 7, 2023 – Watch Out – You Can’t Trust Alexa
Alexa is tremendously helpful for so many things. If you need to know the score of last night’s baseball game, if you want to know what the weather will be today or even to turn down your thermostat. for you. And it is not just Alexa. Siri or Google Home will do the same tasks for you. However, there is one task that you should not trust Alexa and the other devices to perform. You should never ask it to call a tech support or customer service number for you.
For years I have warned you about phony tech support scams done by scammers who establish bogus tech support websites for your favorite tech companies, such as Facebook and Instagram. By manipulating the algorithms used by Google and other search engines, the scammers manage to get their bogus websites into top positions in Google and other search engine searches. These phony tech support websites are used to scam you out of money or personal information which they use to make you a victim of identity theft. Scammers also use similar tactics to scam people looking for help with the repair of common household appliances, such as refrigerators and washing machines.
People looking through a search engine for a telephone number for customer service or a company’s warranty center are often taken to one of the phony websites and when they call the telephone number found in the phony website they are told that they can set up an appointment for a repair person by merely providing their name and location. Then they are often told that they need to pay a small fee which they can do by credit card or debit card for a speedy next-day expedited service call. Unfortunately, this is all a scam. No service person comes the next day, however, your credit card, or even worse, your debit card is used by the scammer. But it isn’t just people who are taken to these phony search engine listings. Alexa, Siri and Google Home are susceptible to being scammed by merely picking the top position in a search engine search and putting you in touch with a scammer.
TIPS
Don’t bother Alexa with looking up and calling tech support or customer service numbers. The best place to look for a telephone number for tech support, customer service or warranty information is on the company’s official website, on your bill or in the warranty documents that came with your appliance or device. Also, be careful when you call the real number for tech support or customer service. Clever scam artists, the only criminals we refer to as artists purchase telephone numbers that are a single digit off of the legitimate phone numbers for many companies’ tech support or customer service numbers in order to take advantage of common consumer misdials.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive free daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is sign up for free using this link. https://scamicide.com/scam-of-the-day/
Scam of the day – August 6, 2023 – FBI Warns About New Twist on Tech Support Scam
Tech support scams in which consumers are tricked by scammers into believing there is a problem with their computers that require the expensive services of scammers constitute a major problem. Tech support scams are increasingly common and victimize consumers 60 years or older about five times more often than people between the ages of 20 and 59 according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The most common tech support scams start with popups on your computer that provide notices of security problems that contain telephone numbers for you to call to fix the problem, Whenever you get a pop-up, email, or text message that appears to tell you that you have a security problem with your computer, you should never click on any links contained in the message or call the telephone number provided. If your screen freezes, all you need to do is just turn off your computer and restart it. If you are concerned that you may be experiencing a real security problem you can contact tech support at the real tech companies directly by phone or by email using the phone number and email addresses you find on their respective websites.
If you call the scammers in response to concerns about your security, they often ask for you to enable them to get remote access to your computer to assess the problem. Providing remote access to anyone to your computer can lead to a myriad of problems including identity theft and the downloading of ransomware. Neither AOL, Yahoo, Apple, Microsoft or any of the other tech companies ever ask for remote access to your computer to fix problems.
In a recent twist on this scam, the scammers inform the victim of the scam that they are eligible for a potential refund for a tech service, but that the only way they can refund the money is by connecting to the victim’s computer and depositing the money electronically into the victim’s bank account. Then the scammer informs the victim that “accidently” they have deposited more money into the victim’s account than they are owed and the scammer tells the victim that unless the victim withdraws the extra money in cash and sends it to the scammer, he will lose his job. The scammer then instructs the victim to wrap the money in a magazine and use shipping companies such as UPS or Federal Express to send the cash to the scammer.
TIPS
Often when your computer is frozen and you receive a pop-up ad purporting to tell you that you have a major security problem and warning you that you should not shut down or restart your computer because, they tell you, it would cause serious damage to your computer, the best thing you can do is shut down your computer and restart it.
If you are truly concerned about a security problem, contact tech support at the real tech companies you use at a phone number or email address that you have confirmed is accurate rather than a number or email address from the pop-up.
Never download software or give remote access to your computer to anyone whom you have not contacted.
To see the FBI’s recent warning, click on this link.https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2023/PSA230718#:~:text=The%20FBI%20is%20warning%20the,s)%2C%20via%20shipping%20companies.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address on the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – August 5, 2023 – FTC Imposes Record Fine Against Robocallers
Over the years I have written numerous times about the problems presented by robocalls and with good reason. Automated robocalls which, for commercial purposes, are illegal, are the number one consumer complaint reported by the public to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at a cost to consumers of billions of dollars each year. Robocalls are used by scammers to perpetrate a wide variety of scams. The ease by which illegal robocalls may be made by computers using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) accounts for much of the problem. Most of the robocalls received in the United States originate overseas.
Earlier this week the FTC imposed a record fine of $299,997,000 on an international network of companies including Sumco Panama, Virtual Telecom, Davis Telecom, Geist Telecom, Fugle Telecom, Tech Direct, Mobi Telecom, and Posting Express for violating a variety of federal laws when they made more than five billion robocalls involving illegal auto warranties to more than 500 million people in a mere three month period in 2021.
TIPS
While this FTC action is helpful, I am a firm believer that the best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm so here are a number of options we all have for preventing robocalls including a number of apps that for free or a small fee will reduce and, in some instances prevent, robocalls.
Samsung’s SmartCall informs you if the call you are receiving is from a known robocaller. This feature is available with newer Samsung Galaxy phones. Here is a link to information about SmartCall and instructions as to how to activate this app. https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/smart-call/#:~:text=The%20Smart%20Call%20function%20lets,Suspected%20to%20be%20spam
Google also has a spam blocker that will warn you when you are receiving a robocall and your screen will turn red. Here is a link to information about the app and how to install it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.dialer&hl=en
AT&T also offers free apps to block robocalls on iPhones and Android phones. Here is a link to information about these apps.
https://www.att.com/features/security-apps.html?partner=LinkShare&siteId=TnL5HPStwNw-yrUS1uDw9WGvN._xt67yew&source=ECay0000000CEL00O
Verizon’s CallerName ID is a free service for iPhones and Android phones that will alert you to suspected robocallers. Here is a link to Verizon’s app.
https://www.verizonwireless.com/solutions-and-services/caller-name-id/
T-Mobile offers a free scam blocker of known robocallers for Android phones which you can activate by merely dialing #662#
Sprint offers a paid service to protect your iPhone or Android phone from robocalls. For more information, use this link
https://www.sprint.com/en/landings/scamprotection.html
Finally, you can just choose to ignore any calls that come from numbers you do not recognize. This is a good option. If they are legitimate calls, they will leave a message and you can call them back.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive free daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is sign up for free using this link. https://scamicide.com/scam-of-the-day/
Scam of the day – August 4, 2023 – Phony Job Recruiting Scam
Like just about everything else we do searching for a job online has become the norm for many job seekers and there are many legitimate online employment websites such as Indeed.com, Careerbuilder.com and Monster.com, however, merely because an ad for a job appears on a legitimate website does not mean that the job is for real. It may be just a scam seeking either personal information to make you a victim of identity theft. Although Indeed.com, Career builder.com, Monster.com and other online employment agencies do their best to screen their ads, they can’t come even close to being perfect.
Recently, the Federal Trade Commission warned people about phony job recruiters using legitimate sites such as Indeed or LinkedIn to contact people asking them to apply for a job on a phony counterfeit website that looks like the website of a legitimate company or schedule an interview where you would be asked for personal information that would lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft. When you apply for a job, it is necessary to provide your Social Security number so many people provide this information in response to these phony job recruitments and end up becoming a victim of identity theft.
TIPS
Before providing any personal information or scheduling a virtual interview, go the real company’s website and not through a link provided by the “recruiter.” There you can go to the company’s “career opportunities” or “jobs” page to see if the company actually is hiring and even then you should apply directly through the company’s encrypted site rather than through links provided by the recruiter.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is sign up for free using this link. https://scamicide.com/scam-of-the-day/
Scam of the day – August 3, 2023 – New IRS Refund Scam
Recently the IRS issued a warning about emails from scammers posing as IRS agents that lure victims into clicking on links and providing personal information that leads to identity theft. The subject line of the email reads “Claim your tax refund online. The grammar and spelling in many of these emails is pretty atrocious which is a red flag that you are dealing with a scammer.
One email presently being circulated reads: “We cheked an error in the calculation of your tax from the last payment, amounting to $927.22. In order for us to return the excess payment, you need to create a E-Refund after which the funds will be credited to your specified bank. Please click below to claim your tax refund. If we are unable to complete within 3 days, all pending will be cancelled.”
Of course, if you do click on the link it will either download malware such as ransomware or keystroke logging malware that will lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft or you will be taken to a phony IRS website where you will be prompted to provide personal information that will result in your becoming a victim of identity theft.
TIPS
This is an easy scam to avoid. As I often tell you, whenever you get a phone call, text message or email that purports to be from the IRS, you can be confident that it is a scam because the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by phone, text messages or emails.
Also, you should never click on a link in an email or provide personal information in response to an email unless you have absolutely confirmed that the email was legitimate.
In regard to information about any refunds to which you may be entitled, you should go to the IRS website section which will provide you with information about any refunds to which you may be entitled. Here is the link.https://www.irs.gov/refunds
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive free daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address on the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – August 2, 2023 – Hotel Credit Card Scam
Recently there have been reports about a “new” scam that I first warned you about in 2013. It involves calls to hotel guests purportedly from a clerk at the front desk of the hotel informing you that the hotel needs your credit card information again because of a computer error in processing your card. Unfortunately, people responding to this call by providing their credit card number end up providing their credit card number to the scammer who calls them and not to a clerk of the hotel. Often these calls come early in the morning, when the scammer hopes to awaken someone who may not take the time to consider the legitimacy of the request.
TIPS
Whenever you get a telephone call, you can never be sure that the person calling you is who he or she represents himself or herself to be. If you are in a hotel and receive such a call, you should hang up and either go to the front desk in person or call the front desk at a telephone number that you know is accurate. Whenever you get a telephone call requesting personal information such as a credit card number for whatever reason, do not give the information to the caller. Rather, call the company or agency that purported to call you at a number that you know is correct and not a number that the caller gives you.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is sign up for free using this link. https://scamicide.com/scam-of-the-day/
Scam of the day – August 1, 2023 – What to do if Your Email is Hacked
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive free daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and insert your email address where it indicates “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – July 31, 2023 – OneDrive Phishing Scam
OneDrive is a popular cloud storage system of Microsoft that allows you to sync and save documents, pictures and files. Scammers send emails purporting to be from OneDrive, such as the one copied below that I received recently. If you click on the View File, you will either be lured into providing personal information that can lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft or download malware such as ransomware or keystroke logging malware that leads to your becoming a victim of identity theft.
|
|||||||||
|
TIPS
I was not expecting an email from the lawyer whose name appears in the email and so I contacted her office to confirm whether or not she had sent me documents through OneDrive. She had not. The lesson here is to never click on any links in any email unless you have absolutely confirmed that the email is legitimate. It is also important to remember that even if you have the most up to date security software, it will not protect you from the latest forms of malware which exploit what are called zero day defects. It generally takes the security software companies about a month to provide a security update for the particular malware which is why you should always install the latest security updates as soon as they become available.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address where it states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – July 30, 2023 – Gift Card Scams Getting Worse
Scammers are big fans of gift cards because they are easy to purchase, easy to send to the scammer and impossible to trace to the scammer. According to the FTC, consumers lost 233 million dollars to gift card scams last year. It is not even necessary for the scammer to be in possession of the actual gift card to use it. Sending the gift card numbers or taking a picture on your phone and transmitting it to the scammer is sufficient for the scammer to use the gift card to buy things that can then be sold and converted into cash.
In many instances the scams involved scammers posing as large companies or government agencies such as the IRS demanding payments. It is important to remember that no legitimate company and no government agencies asks for or accepts gift cards as a payment method so anytime you are asked for a payment by gift card, you can be confident it is a scam.
In an interesting development, the FTC noted that Target gift cards were the most popular choice for scammers with scammers asking specifically for Target gift cards in twice as many instances as the next most popular gift card and even when the gift card requested by the scammers was not a Target gift card, the scammers asked their victims to purchase the particular gift cards at a Target store.
TIPS
Although it is impossible to stop payment on a gift card or trace the user after the scammer has used it, if you recognize immediately that you have provided a gift card to a scammer, you can report it to the issuer to cancel the card. Here is contact information for some popular gift cards.
Amazon
- Call 1 (888) 280-4331.
- Keep the Amazon card itself and your receipt for the Amazon card.
- Learn about Amazon gift card scams and how to report them. Click on “Contact us.”
Google Play
- Report the gift card scam to Google.
- Keep the Google Play card itself and your receipt for the Google Play card.
- Learn about Google Play gift card scams and how to report them.
iTunes
- Call Apple Support right away at 1 (800) 275-2273. Say “gift card” to connect with a live representative.
- Ask if the money is still on the iTunes card. If so, Apple can put a freeze on it. You might be able to get your money back from them.
- Keep the iTunes card itself and your receipt for the iTunes card.
- Learn about iTunes gift card scams and how to report them.
Target
- Call Target GiftCard Services at 1 (800) 544-2943
MoneyPak
- Report gift card scams to MoneyPak.
- Keep the MoneyPak card itself and your receipt for the MoneyPak card.
- Learn about MoneyPak gift card scams.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive free daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address on the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – July 29, 2023 – Hotel Food Delivery and Room Service Scam
Some scams are just so simple and effective that they remind us why scam artists are indeed the only criminals we refer to as artists. An old scam that is still being used effectively by scammers involves a flyer under your door in your hotel or motel room that purportedly is an advertisement for a local pizza parlor or in a case last year of one family that lost $6,000 taken from their debit card, a phony room service menu slid under the door. The flyer gives a telephone number for the pizza parlor which conveniently delivers to your room or, again in this particular case the phone number for the hotel’s room service.
All you need to do is call the number, give them a credit card and they will promptly send you your fresh pizza or other food. Unfortunately, it is a scam. There is no pizza parlor and this is not the real room service telephone number The scammers have merely gone through the hotel and put their flyers under the doors. They then just wait for the telephone calls, steal your credit card number and use it to make charges to your card.
TIPS
A good rule to follow is not to order any food from a restaurant that puts flyers under the door of your hotel or motel room and don’t trust a room service menu that has been slid under your door. In regard to the pizza parlor or other restaurant you can confirm online or even with a quick call to the clerk at the front desk as to whether the particular restaurant described in the flyer is legitimate and whether indeed the telephone number is their actual number. Sometimes the scammers will use the name of a real restaurant, but substitute their phony telephone number. Never order or provide your credit card unless you have independently confirmed both that the restaurant is real and the telephone number is accurate.
As for room service, you can easily access them through the appropriate button on the room landline or through the number indicated in the booklet found in the room containing information about the hotel.
Finally, as I have often warned you, the protection you get from fraud when using your debit card is far less than what you get when using your credit card so you should never use your debit card for anything other than an ATM card.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive free daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address in the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”