Every month we help people who have been scammed. But had they read our newsletters and printed our website articles, they wouldn't have been scammed out of hundreds or thousands of dollars. Scammers are becoming increasingly clever. By using technology - automated email and phone dialing - hackers and scammers take advantage of the anonymity of the internet to reach millions of potential victims in attempt to trick them into giving up their money. With a little bit of knowledge of scams and how they work, you won't become a victim yourself.
In the past few months common types of scams that we've been hearing about include:
- An email or phone call notice of a charge for a product or service - such as computer security protection - that you don't recall ordering
- A scary computer pop-up window telling you to call to fix a problem with your computer
- Email scams appearing to come from someone that you know asking for a favor in the form of purchasing a gift card
In the first example, you may get an email stating that your account will be charged unless you call the number provided. They use common company names so that the "charge" may seem legitimate - Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Norton, McAfee, Best Buy, etc. Some are intentionally vague - such as a charge for "Technical Support" or "Antivirus Protection" - to pique your interest to get you to call the number. Don't do it!
Secondly, while browsing the internet you may get a scary pop-up window alerting you that there's a problem with your computer or device. The alert will present a number for you to call and tell you not to turn off your computer. Scammers have crafted the message in this fashion because they know most people will be scared into calling the number - where a scammer is waiting on the other end - to coerce you into paying for non-existent problems. The reason you're told not to turn off your computer is because that's how to fix the problem and make the scary message go away.
In the last example, a hacker has gained access to one of your friends email account and sends an email to all of their contacts asking for a favor. That favor is usually purchasing a gift card for them, which they will pay you back later. Don't fall for it - it's a scam. If you get an email like this from someone you know, do not reply to the email - the reply is sent to the scammer. Instead call or text your friend to let them know about the email that you received.
Always assume an unsolicited email/call/text message is fake until proven otherwise. A careful inspection will reveal clues about its authenticity. Look at ALL of the following in a message you may receive - parts of it can easily be forged:
- Is the email address or phone number shown from a reputable company - or a personal email address/phone number?
- Is the message personalized with your name - or simply "Dear customer"
- Are there misspellings, grammatical errors, capitalization errors?
- Is there a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly without thinking things through or talking to a trusted relative, friend or computer tech?
Most scams typically start with an email, website pop-up, phone call or text message from a well-known company or your operating system. You are notified about a large purchase that has been (or will be) charged to your account - or there's a problem with your account or device/computer. You're told to call, click a link or talk to a fraud/account representative to confirm the purchase or account information. No matter how legitimate it sounds - it's a scam! Never conduct business or financial transactions initiated from an unsolicited email. The most common method of payment to a scammer is via a gift card, because once purchased you can't get your money back in most circumstances.
