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  Geebo 8:00 am on July 28, 2021 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Facebook Marketplace ( 62 ), fake websites ( 11 ), google voice, red light camera, Scams ( 1,354 ), traffic tickets ( 3 ), traveling ( 14 ), TSA PreCheck, two factor authentication ( 17 )   

  Scam Round Up: Red Lights, the TSA, and Google Voice 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Every so often, we come across scams that may not warrant an entire blog post. So here are three scams that caught our attention this week that be briefly summed up.

  In Renton, Washington, scammers are sending emails to victims claiming that the victim ran a red light and was caught on one of the city’s red light cameras. The email contains a link where you’re supposed to pay your fine but, of course, goes to the scammer instead. What makes this scam effective is that many jurisdictions use a third party online platform to collect some traffic fines. However, you can tell that this is a scam since most, if not all, cities send their red light tickets through the postal mail and not by email. Most states don’t even have your email address connected to your license plate number.

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  If you travel a lot for business or leisure, you may have thought of signing up for TSA PreCheck. This program allows low-risk individuals to pay for a service where they can have an expedited security check when flying. As with a lot of government services, scammers are trying to trick PreCheck seekers into giving up their personal info by creating phony websites that claim they can register you with PreCheck. Again, there is a simple solution to this scam, but not everyone is aware of it. Only websites that have a .gov address can register you for PreCheck. Some of these scam websites may even have a .us address. Anybody can purchase a .us domain name, and it is not under the authority of the US Government. You can apply for TSA PreCheck at the TSA website.

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  Our last scam for today is one we’ve previously discussed and also affects Geebo’s industry. If you’re selling something online, whether it’s with Geebo or someone else, be wary if someone says they want to prove ‘you’re real’. An authorization code will be sent to you and the buyer will ask for that code number. Do not give it to them. They’re trying to set up a Google Voice number that would be tied to your phone number. This way, they could continue scamming people using the Google Voice number, but would be traced back to you. This recently happened to a woman from New Hampshire who was selling her items on Facebook Marketplace.

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  Please keep in mind that even though these scams may not be happening in your area, that doesn’t mean that it soon won’t be.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on June 22, 2021 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: google voice, phone scam ( 46 ), Scams ( 1,354 )   

  Google Voice scam affects online sellers 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Google Voice is a pretty useful app to have. If you sign up for Google Voice, it allows you to have a second phone number for free. If you use it normally, the Google Voice number will ring your current number. However, you can also set it to do not disturb mode, calls to your Google Voice number will go straight to voicemail. One of its best uses is to use as nuisance avoidance. If someone wants your phone number, and you prefer not to trust them with your actual number, you can give them your Google Voice number instead.

  For some of the same reasons, scammers love Google Voice. The problem for scammers is they don’t want the Google Voice number tied to their own phone number. Instead, the scammers will try to trick a victim into have the Google Voice number tied to the victim’s number. This happened recently to a woman who was trying to sell something online.

  In her ad, she had her actual phone number listed. She received a call from someone posing as a buyer. When the woman tried to set up a meeting arrangement, the buyer said that they were going to send the woman a Google Voice code to verify that the woman’s listing was legitimate. The buyer kept asking the woman for the code that was sent, but the woman felt like she was being scammed and did not give the code to the scammer.

  If she had given the scammer the code, the scammers would have been able to sign up for a Google Voice number that would have been tied to the woman’s phone number. The scammers could have used the Google Voice number to commit more scams and if anyone looked into the number, it would have traced back to the victim.

  If someone you don’t know asks for a code that was sent to your phone, there’s a good chance that it’s an authorization code that scammers can use to wreak all sorts of havoc. They can be trying to get you to turn your bank account over to them, or you could be giving them access to any one of your online accounts.

  Scam Round Up: Red Lights, the TSA, and Google Voice | Greg's Corner is discussing. Toggle Comments

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on July 10, 2019 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: deep fakes ( 6 ), defense contractor, google voice, phishing ( 75 ), Scams ( 1,354 )   

  These tech scams are frightening! 

  

  This week’s set of scams are incredibly troubling. Technology has advanced to a point where scams have become harder to spot. Not to mention that some of the tactics used by these scammers are like something out of a movie.

  The first scam is kind of confusing and seems a little convoluted for something that doesn’t bring that much to the scammers. If you’re not familiar with Google Voice, it’s a service that provides you with a free supplementary phone number. Scammers are using Google Voice to hijack phone numbers from personal numbers that have been shared online. For example, if you’ve posted your phone number in a classified ad the scammers will attempt to hijack that number. The scammers won’t be able to take any money from you but could potentially use your number for criminal activity. If your number has been hijacked in one of these scams this article has instructions on how to get your number back. Unfortunately, the steps won’t be that easy.

  The next scam, while rare, is very disconcerting. Security firm Symantec has said that they have found a handful of scams where the scammers have used deep fake audio of business executives in order to trick employees into transferring money to the scammers. Deep fakes are AI generated video or audio that can be hard to tell from the real thing. We’ve previously discussed the potential harm that deep fakes could cause here. The process to generate these deep fakes can cost thousands of dollars ut could end up costing businesses untold losses in the future.

  [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnFC-s2nOtI%5D

  Our last scam for today is the most alarming. According to news site Quartz, a US military defense contractor was taken for $3 million in top-secret equipment by international con artists. All the scammers had to do was use an email address that looks similar to official military domains. This is basically the same phishing scam that’s used to try to steal your banking information except a company with a high government security clearance fell for it to the tune of $3 million. Thankfully, the scammers were apprehended after federal investigators tracked them down through the mailing address they used that they claimed was a military installation. Disturbingly, neither the Quartz article nor the legal documents Quartz obtained state whether or not the sensitive equipment was ever recovered.