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  • Geebo 8:01 am on April 14, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , tax letter, tax processing center   

    Scam targets the recently deceased 

    Scam targets the recently deceased

    By Greg Collier

    Losing a loved one is an emotional and difficult time for any family. Along with the grieving process, there are practical matters that need to be addressed, including the deceased person’s financial affairs. One common concern is how to handle any debts that the deceased may have had. If you’re a family member or executor of the estate, it’s important to understand your obligations and options when it comes to paying off these debts. And if that wasn’t difficult enough, now it seems you might have to be on the lookout for scammers as well.

    A Sheriff’s Office in Kansas recently sent a warning to residents about a scam that is targeting families of the recently deceased. Family members of those who have passed have been receiving letters in the mail which claim to be from a ‘Tax Processing Center’. The letter also claims to be from the state of Kansas and contains a header that reads, “Final Demand for Payment for Nonpayment of Taxes to the State of Kansas” along with the deceased’s name. The family is also threatened with the seizure of property if the debt isn’t paid. The closing of the letter contains a phone number where the debt can be supposedly paid off, but the phone number goes to a call center run by scammers.

    So, if someone were to fall for the letter, we have no doubt that the scammers would happily steal the money from a grieving family. This is yet another example of how low scammers are willing to stoop. We can just imagine scammers perusing local obituaries before sending the scam letters.

    If you find yourself in a situation where you receive a letter like this, first off, you have our condolences. But before calling the phone number in the letter, research the letter first. Google the phone number to see if it comes up with scam complaints. If you’re still unsure, call your state’s Department of Revenue or whatever your state’s equivalent is to make sure the letter is a fake.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 13, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , suckers list   

    BBB warns scam victims may be on a “sucker’s list” 

    BBB warns scam victims may be on a "sucker's list"

    By Greg Collier

    It’s tough being a scam victim. Not only have you lost money that you needed for something important, but you lost it to a con artist. Maybe you thought you could see a scam coming from a mile away, yet you fell for it anyway. To make matters worse, it’s embarrassing to admit that you’ve been scammed. You might even be too embarrassed to go to the police to try to get your money back. This keeps people in your community from knowing about the scam, which means they could fall victim to the scam as well. But you came forward, which you should be commended for. However, coming forward may also have an unwelcome side effect.

    The Better Business Bureau is warning scam victims about potentially being scammed a second time. This scam, known as the recovery scam, specifically targets people who have previously fallen prey to other scams. Typically, recovery scammers would search for someone on social media who may have mentioned they fell for a scam. The scammers would then offer their services to recover the victim’s money for an upfront fee, of course. If a victim were to pay the recovery scammer, the scammer would disappear with the victim’s money. We’ve seen this previously a lot on Instagram. We’ve even seen it on our own social media accounts when we post about scams.

    The BBB is now warning that it’s not just social media scam victims have to worry about. According to the BBB, scammers now have what’s called a ‘sucker’s list’. This is a list of scam victims that’s being traded around by scammers. This list makes any scam victim a potential target for future scams.

    Scammers are also setting up fake websites promoting themselves as a scam recovery service.

    Please keep in mind, there is no such thing as a scam recovery service. The best way to recover your losses is to go to the police. But be aware, that in the vast majority of cases, once a victim has lost money to a scammer, it’s gone for good.

    If you’ve been the victim of a scam, you may want to refrain from posting about it on social media, as this could attract recovery scammers. Instead, report it to your local police and allow them to warn your community.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 12, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , ,   

    Doctors taken for $300K in scam 

    By Greg Collier

    Many of us consider doctors to be some of the best and brightest among us. They never stop learning, as their profession requires them to be on the cutting edge of medical science. But for all their medical knowledge, even doctors are susceptible to scams. We’re not talking about a medically specific scams, either. We’re talking about one of the most common scams there is.

    Recently, In Houston, Texas, 60 people were targeted in the jury duty scam. Many of the victims were doctors, and each victim lost $5000 each for a combined loss of $300,000.

    For new readers, the jury duty scam works like this. The scammer will call the victim, posing as a representative of the local court system, and claim that the victim has failed to appear for jury duty. They will then tell the victim that there is a warrant out for their arrest and that they must pay a fine to avoid being arrested. Typically, scammers will ask for payment in something largely untraceable like a prepaid debit card, git cards, or cryptocurrency.

    If you think about it critically, this is a pretty ingenious twist on the jury duty scam. Doctors tend to make more money than the average consumer. It only takes a handful of doctors to fall for the scam in order for the scammer to make a substantial profit.

    The reason we bring up the fact that doctors are falling victim to one of the most common scams is because it shows that no matter how intelligent a person might be, there’s a scam out there that they could fall for. It may not be the jury duty scam, but there is a scam out there that could be the one that finally fools you. We’ve seen everyone from teachers to CEOs who have lost vast amounts of money to various scams.

    As far as the jury duty scam is concerned, please keep in mind that no law enforcement agency will ever threaten someone with arrest over the phone. In most cases, the court will send a summons via mail, and any communication related to jury duty will be conducted in person or via official court correspondence. If you receive a call or email claiming to be related to jury duty, it’s important to verify the authenticity of the communication before providing any personal or financial information.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 11, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    AI voice cloning used again in alarming scam 

    AI voice cloning used again in alarming scam

    By Greg Collier

    Few things are more unnerving than the new tool scammers have added to their arsenal, AI-generated voice cloning. Potentially, scammers can make their voice sound like anyone. That includes your friends and family. Voice cloning can be very convincing when used in two scam in particular. The first one is the grandparent scam, and the other is the virtual kidnapping scam.

    In a virtual kidnapping scam, the scammers call their victims claiming they are holding one of the victim’s loved one hostage for ransom. Typically, the supposed kidnap victim is safe and unaware they’re being used in a scam.

    Previously, the scammers would do almost all of the talking, but they would have someone else in the background crying and screaming, who they claimed was the kidnap victim. Now, with voice cloning technology, scammers can make it seem like the victim’s loved one is on the phone with them. To make the scam more disturbing than it already is, the scammers only need three seconds of audio to clone the voice of someone, according to some reports.

    An Arizona woman found out all too well how the scam works when she received a call from someone who claimed to have kidnapped her 15-year-old daughter. She received a phone call from an unknown number, but when she picked up the call, she heard the voice of her daughter. The mother said her daughter sounded like she was crying, while her daughter’s voice said, “Mom, I messed up.”

    The next voice she heard was from the supposed kidnapper. The caller threatened the woman by saying if she calls the police or anyone, he’s going to pump her daughter full of drugs, physically assault her, then leave her in Mexico if the woman doesn’t pay a ransom. Then in the background, the woman heard her daughter’s voice saying, “Help me, Mom. Please help me. Help me.” The scammer demanded $1 million in ransom before settling for $50,000.

    Thankfully, the woman was in a room with friends. The friends were able to not only call police, but also got a hold of the woman’s husband. The daughter in question was at home, totally unaware of what was going on.

    When it comes to the virtual kidnapping scam, we like to remind our readers that kidnapping for ransom is actually rare in the United States. However, child abductions are unfortunately a very real occurrence. This makes the scam even more terrifying for its victims.

    The girl’s mother should be commended though for doing the right thing even though her ears were being deceived. Even if it sounds like a loved one is in danger, always verify the scammer’s story.

    If you receive a call like this, try to have someone contact the person who’s supposedly been kidnapped. When they put your loved one on the phone, ask them a question that only they would know the answer to. Or have a family code word set up in advance that’s only to be used if the loved one is in danger.

    This may also be an opportunity for you to have a talk with your children about what they share on social media, since that’s where these scammers tend to find the voice samples they need.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 10, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    Secret Service warns about real estate scam 

    By Greg Collier

    Another scam that we’ve seen reported more in the news lately is the vacant lot scam. This scam typically involves scammers who try to sell a vacant lot that they do not actually own or have the right to sell.

    The process of the vacant lot scam involves scammers locating an unoccupied property without any construction and determining the owner, which can be accomplished through publicly accessible information. To appear as the genuine owner of the property, scammers will impersonate the owner and create fake identification documents. Using this guise, the scammers will enlist the help of a real estate agent to sell the property. In many cases, the scammers will not be physically present in the area where the property is located, and they may communicate solely through electronic means such as emails and text messages.

    The scam has become so prevalent, even the Secret Service is warning realtors nationwide to watch out for this scam.

    One realtor from Montana encountered this scam in a most unique way. The realtor also happens to own a vacant lot. Scammers called her office one day looking to sell a lot at a discounted price for a quick sale. When the realtor asked for the caller’s name, the scammer replied with the name of the realtor. That’s one way to tell you’re talking to a scammer.

    If someone was looking to buy a lot, they might consider investing in title insurance, which could protect them from losing money in a phony sale. Buyers should also make sure they’re dealing with the actual owner of the property. See if you can get the records of the property from the county tax office and make sure that the signatures match.

    If someone owns a vacant lot, whether they’re looking to sell or not, can take some precautions to protect their property. Make sure to regularly monitor your property and keep records of any changes or updates to it. This can help you quickly identify if someone is trying to sell or rent your property without your permission. Ensure that your property is properly secured. This can include installing fences, locks, or security cameras to deter trespassers.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 7, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: fear, , , ,   

    The Psychology of Scams 

    By Greg Collier

    Fear can be a great motivator. Fear triggers are fight or flight responses and often force us to make a split-second decision. Even though we’re making a decision in that short amount of time, that decision isn’t always the right one, and in many cases, that decision may not even make sense. That’s why fear is the greatest tool in the scammer’s arsenal.

    Let’s take a look at a scam that happened recently in Minnesota. A 65-year-old woman lost $20,000 to the Microsoft pop-up scam. She received a pop-up on her computer that said she needed to call Microsoft. That’s where the fear starts. For people not super-familiar with how computers work may think the worst when getting a message like that. Have I been hacked? Is my identity being stolen? Will I lose all my pictures and personal files? Has my entire digital life been compromised?

    The answer the woman got after calling the supposed phone number to Microsoft was probably worse than she could have imagined. The person she spoke with told her that there had been suspicious activity on her computer, and she needed to call the Federal Trade Commission and was given another number to call.

    When she called who she thought was the FTC, she was told her IP address was being cloned and used by someone in Texas for illegal activity.

    An IP address is like a phone number for your computer. Just as you need a phone number to make a call, your computer needs an IP address to connect to the internet and communicate with other devices. The IP address is a unique set of numbers assigned to your device by your internet service provider (ISP) that identifies it on the internet.

    The person who was supposedly from the FTC told the woman that her IP address was being used to view explicit illegal images and illegal gambling. At this point, the scammers have elevated their fear tactics. Illegal gambling may not seem so bad, but when you add it to one of the worst online crimes a person could commit, and that you could be blamed for it, would send anyone into a deep state of fear.

    The woman was then told that this was all part of an international money laundering scheme, and she needed to protect her money. The scammer told her she needed to take $20,000 out of her bank and UPS it to an address in Florida. She suggested she would withdraw the money and keep it in her home. The scammer told her if she did that, the local police would arrest her for money laundering. That probably pushed the woman into an even bigger panic, which is precisely what the scammers want.

    We have the benefit of hindsight to be able to look at this scam and can see how convoluted it is. Microsoft doesn’t know what’s going on your computer. They’re also infamously known for being difficult to get a hold of. Even if they did know your device was compromised, they would tell you to call the FTC, who is also known for being difficult to contact, as most government agencies are. And no government agency would ever threaten a citizen with arrest over the phone.

    So, we may look at this and wonder how anyone could fall for this scam, but when fear kicks in like this and someone is dealing with the pressure of the moment, anyone could be vulnerable to a scam.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 6, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , home buying, , , ,   

    Family loses $160K to home buying scam 

    By Greg Collier

    Lately, we’ve noticed an uptick in news stories about the business email compromise scam. While this is only anecdotal evidence, it can mean that scammers are getting better at it, or more people are coming forward about it. Either way, it seems we can expect to see increasing incidents of the BEC scam.

    For those who may not be familiar, the BEC scam is a scam that targets businesses and individuals who regularly perform wire transfers or make large payments via email. In this scam, the attackers use social engineering tactics to trick the victim into sending money to a fraudulent account instead of the intended recipient.

    In the context of buying a house, the BEC scam typically involves impersonating a real estate agent, lawyer, or title company representative. The attacker sends an email that appears to be from one of these legitimate sources and instructs the homebuyer to wire transfer the funds for the down payment or closing costs to a specified account. The email may seem convincing and use language that mimics that of the real estate professional, including branding and logos.

    A family from Ohio recently fell victim to this scam while closing on their home after the husband retired from the military. Since they were a military family, they are familiar with the home buying process. However, in Ohio, it’s required by law to wire any closing costs over $10,000, instead of paying by check. They received an email from who they thought was the title company, and followed the included instructions on where to wire the funds. The transfer was for $160,000. It wasn’t until the next day when the family discovered the title company wasn’t the one who requested the transfer.

    The family contacted their bank, and the wire transfer was stopped before going into the scammer’s account, but the bank is allegedly dragging their feet as far as issuing a refund to the family. This isn’t surprising considering the amount of bank scams we’ve seen where the banks refuse to issue refunds.

    The family was still able to close on their home, but not everyone has that luxury.

    To avoid falling victim to a BEC scam when buying a house, it is important to always verify payment instructions before sending any money. This can involve calling the real estate professional or company to confirm that the account details are correct. Additionally, it is wise to be cautious of emails that seem urgent or that request immediate wire transfers without sufficient verification.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 5, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    Zelle refunding scam victims, but won’t say which ones 

    Zelle refunding scam victims, but won't say which ones

    By Greg Collier

    The Zelle payment app has been popular with scammers for the past year and a half now. If you’re unfamiliar with the app, it’s a personal payment app. It’s supposed to allow you to make payments to friends and family instantly. However, scammers have used it to have their victims direct money to scammers’ bank accounts. Zelle is owned by a group of some of the nation’s leading banks, and in the past, these banks have been hesitant to refund scam victims. Now, Zelle is seemingly saying they’re going to be refusing scam victims, but are being vague about the details.

    But first, let’s look into how Zelle scams work. The most prolific of these scams is the bank impersonation scam. In this fraudulent scheme, the target receives a text message inquiring whether they have recently made a substantial purchase or transfer. The recipient is instructed to reply with a simple yes or no. After the response, scammers follow up with a phone call, pretending to represent the victim’s bank’s fraud department. The fraudsters then urge the victim to safeguard their bank account by either transferring their funds or using Zelle to “pay themselves.” However, what actually happens is that the scammers are guiding the victim through the process of transferring funds to them via Zelle.

    Zelle can also be used in almost any scam where money is involved, such as phony landlords, and scammers who pose as police threatening victims with arrest. A good rule to follow to protect yourself from these scam is to only use it to send money to someone you know personally. Even then, you should make sure that person requested money from you.

    Getting back to the refunds, Zelle’s parent company recently released a statement saying they were going to, “mandate consumer reimbursement for certain types of scams.” But that’s basically all the information they’ve released. Now, it’s understandable that Zelle would want to keep the details quiet to keep scammers from finding out, but once refunds start happening, people are going to know. We believe that Zelle should be more transparent to keep its users and scam victims better informed. To keep the process secret, it seems like Zelle has something to hide.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 4, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ,   

    Scams warned in wake of devastating storms 

    Scams warned in wake of devastating storms

    By Greg Collier

    A series of devastating storms recently ravaged parts of the South and the Midwest. At least 50 tornadoes touched down, leaving much destruction in their wakes. To make matters worse, another series of dangerous storms is expected later today. Sadly, the havoc left by the storms is only part of what residents of these areas will have to deal with. Whenever there is a natural disaster, scammers always follow to prey on the victims.

    The one state that appears to have been devastated most by the recent storms is Arkansas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued a warning to the residents of Arkansas that can apply to any area that’s experienced a disaster. One of the most common scams FEMA agents see is scammers impersonating FEMA itself.

    Scammers pose as representatives of FEMA and contact individuals to offer assistance with disaster relief or financial aid.

    The scammers may use various methods to reach out to potential victims, including phone calls, emails, text messages, or social media messages. They may claim that the individual has been approved for financial assistance, or that they need to provide personal information in order to receive aid.

    Once the scammers have gained the trust of the victim, they may ask for personal and financial information, such as Social Security numbers, bank account information, or credit card numbers. They may also ask the victim to send money or purchase gift cards as a way to receive aid.

    In reality, FEMA representatives will never ask for personal or financial information over the phone or email, and they will never ask for money or gift cards in exchange for disaster relief. If you receive a suspicious message claiming to be from FEMA, you should contact the agency directly to verify the authenticity of the communication.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 3, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , RFID,   

    A new scam at the ATM 

    A new scam at the ATM

    By Greg Collier

    Previously, if someone was going to be scammed at an ATM, it was typically done through ATM skimmers. These were devices that could be placed in the card slot of an ATM, which would read the details from the magnetic strip of a debit card. ATM users still have to worry about this scam, but skimmers can often be detected by pulling on the ATM’s card slot to see if it comes out. However, there’s a new scam going around where the device used to scan your card is not so noticeable.

    In most modern debit and credit cards, there is an RFID chip. RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. This allows card users to use the ‘tap to pay’ feature at many stores in ATMs. We’re going to focus on debit cards, as credit cards have some protection built-in to prevent this scam. If someone were to go to an ATM and find the card reader blocked or inoperable, they might be directed to use the tap feature on the ATM. If a user did this at a targeted ATM, an RFID reader would be able to obtain the details from the debit card. This would allow scammers to duplicate the card and empty the bank account attached to it.

    Unfortunately, these RFID devices can be well hidden and virtually unnoticeable. However, there are ways to try to protect yourself from this scam. When at the ATM, avoid using the tap feature. If the card reader has been disabled, go inside the bank or use a different ATM at another location. If you have one, think about using a credit card ATM instead. As we mentioned, credit cards have a safeguard that helps prevent this scam. Not only that, but credit cards themselves offer more consumer protection than a debit card.

    If someone were to fall victim to this scam with their debit card, the bank would not offer a refund. As we’ve seen with most bank scams, the banks view these as legitimate transactions.

     

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