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  Geebo 9:02 am on November 19, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: email ( 6 ), government scams, impersonation scam ( 146 ), phishing ( 76 ), Scams ( 1,367 )   

  New Phishing Scam Uses .GOV Emails 

  

  By Greg Collier

  In an unsettling turn of events, cybercriminals are exploiting trust in government systems to target businesses. Using stolen government email credentials, these criminals send fraudulent emails that appear legitimate, aiming to trick companies into sharing sensitive information. According to federal authorities, this tactic has escalated to a new level of sophistication, with attackers leveraging official-looking communications to gain access to confidential company data.

  Once considered a hallmark of trustworthiness, emails from .gov addresses are no longer a guaranteed sign of authenticity. These addresses are now being sold and misused on dark web forums, enabling criminals to pose as federal agencies. In one case, a known cybercriminal openly advertised their collection of high-quality .gov email credentials, boasting that they could assist buyers in impersonating law enforcement officers, even providing fake subpoena documents to make their ruse more convincing.

  The implications are serious. Businesses that fall for these scams may inadvertently expose customer data, internal documentation, or trade secrets. The fraudulent emails often include urgent requests, claiming an investigation or legal matter requires immediate action. Under the guise of government authority, companies are pressured into complying without verifying the legitimacy of the request.

  The FBI has issued warnings, urging businesses to remain vigilant and adopt stringent cybersecurity practices. Key recommendations include monitoring connections with third-party vendors, maintaining secure backups of critical data, and scrutinizing every aspect of any supposed emergency data request. Special attention should be given to details such as logos, legal references, and formatting, which may reveal subtle inconsistencies.

  One critical piece of advice is if you receive an email from a government address requesting sensitive information, do not respond immediately. Instead, contact the office directly through a verified phone number to confirm the request. Cybercriminals are adept at social engineering, using their knowledge of a company’s operations to craft emails that seem authentic. It’s essential to adopt a ‘trust but verify’ approach, even when the sender appears legitimate.

  The growing prevalence of these attacks highlights the evolving threat landscape. Companies must stay informed, invest in robust security measures, and foster a culture of skepticism toward unexpected or urgent requests. By doing so, they can protect themselves and their customers from falling victim to these sophisticated scams.

   

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  Geebo 9:00 am on February 29, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: advance fee scam ( 45 ), government scams, grants ( 15 ), identity theft ( 107 ), Scams ( 1,367 ), TikTok ( 10 )   

  When old scams become new: TikTok scam promises free money 

  

  By Greg Collier

  A prevalent scam frequently encountered on Facebook is the government grant scam. This usually occurs when scammers gain unauthorized access to someone’s Facebook account. They then exploit this access to send messages to the victim’s friends, claiming they’ve received a significant government grant and anyone can apply. These messages include a link for recipients to purportedly apply for the grant.

  In this scam, the trick lies in scammers posing as government representatives who then request payment from victims under false pretenses, often citing processing fees or taxes. This deceptive practice is commonly referred to as the advance fee scam, where individuals are asked to pay money upfront in order to receive promised funds.

  When a social network emerges with a predominantly young audience, scammers adapt their tactics to better appeal to this demographic. They might tweak the scam’s messaging, incorporating language and content that resonates with younger users.

  According to the Better Business Bureau, scammers on TikTok are luring users with the promise of a $6,400 government grant, targeting individuals earning less than $50,000 annually. Given the economic challenges many young people face today, this offer may seem particularly appealing to a significant portion of the younger population.

  In the TikTok scam, perpetrators use videos featuring individuals who purport to have successfully applied for and received the grant. However, these individuals are often victims of the scam themselves. As part of the deception, scammers may condition the release of the promised payment on the victim creating their own video endorsing the legitimacy of the grant program.

  The BBB also reports the scam on TikTok might not necessarily be seeking payment from victims, but rather aiming to harvest their personal data.

  If a grant or financial assistance program requires payment upfront, question its legitimacy. Legitimate government grants typically do not require payment in advance. Avoid providing personal or financial information to unknown individuals or entities online, especially in response to unsolicited messages or requests. Take the time to research any offers or opportunities thoroughly before taking action. Look for reviews, feedback, or reports from trusted sources to validate the legitimacy of the offer. Lastly, Be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true, especially if they promise large sums of money for minimal effort or qualifications.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on December 16, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: government scams, impersonation scam ( 146 ), imposter scam ( 3 ), impostor scam ( 15 ), Scams ( 1,367 ), social security ( 29 ), SSA ( 4 )   

  A good change in Social Security brings out the scammers 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The most impersonated government agencies are the IRS, Social Security, and Medicare. Scammers often use these three offices to intimidate their victims into doing what they want. I mean, who wants to be contacted by the IRS? They typically use the other two offices to intimidate older Americans or the disabled into thinking they’re either going to lose their benefits, or they make benefit promises that are better than what the government is offering. Whenever the law or policy changes happen within one of these offices, the scammers are right on top of it, looking to use it to take advantage of their victims.

  At the end of this year, millions of Social Security beneficiaries will be receiving an almost 9% cost of living increase in their benefits. If a beneficiary is eligible for this increase, there is nothing they have to do. They will receive it automatically. Scammers will contact their victims posing as the SSA. They’ll tell their victims they need their personal information, a payment, or both to receive the increase. This could lead to the victim’s identity being stolen, or the loss of hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

  To better protect yourself or someone you know from this scam, the best thing to do is keep in mind that government agencies like this will not reach out to citizens first. Unless you already have an ongoing matter with Social Security, they will not just call someone out of the blue. Most government agencies will contact someone by postal mail if they need to be notified. Also, no one should have to give their personal information to the SSA, as they should already have it if you’re a beneficiary. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the SSA, hang up and contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213, or their contact page at SSA.gov.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on June 10, 2022 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: advance fee scam ( 45 ), gas relief ( 2 ), government scams, grants ( 15 ), Scams ( 1,367 )   

  Gas relief scam sweeps nation 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Recently, we’ve been discussing how scammers will take any tragedy in the headlines and try to use it to their advantage. That’s not just limited to disasters and other tragedies. Scammers can also take advantage of ongoing crises. For example, there seemed to be no end to the number of scams related to the pandemic in the past few years. Now, scammers have turned their greedy eyes to the gas crisis. With the price of gas skyrocketing because of inflation, scammers are looking to take advantage of consumers who are desperate for an economic break.

  In one scam, scammers are calling consumers telling them that the government is offering a gas relief program for qualifying individuals. However, what the scammers are really after is your financial information. One victim from Oklahoma said she signed up for the phony program and lost a lot of money out of her checking account to the scammers.

  A spokesperson for the Federal Trade Commission has stated that the government is not offering any gas relief program.

  If this scam sounds a little familiar, that’s because it sounds a lot like the government grant scam. In that scam, victims receive an unsolicited call or message telling them they qualify for a government grant that the victim can use for any purpose. It’s often pitched to the victim as a way they can pay their bills. The scammers tell their victims they just need to pay a processing fee in order to receive the grant. Once the victim pays, the scammers disappear with the money, while the grant never existed in the first place. This is also known as an advance fee scam.

  These approaches are not just limited to phone calls. They can appear in almost any form of communication, whether it’s calls, texts, direct messages, or emails. If there was such a government program for gas relief, the government wouldn’t be calling you. You would have to reach out to them first.

  While we could all use some relief at the pump, almost any offer to discount gas prices will probably be a scam.

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on January 28, 2021 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: FTC ( 16 ), government scams, impersonation scam ( 146 ), Scams ( 1,367 ), U.S. Trading Commission   

  New scam tries to take advantage of scam victims 

  

  The Federal Trade Commission is usually the office of the government that deals with online scammers and returns money to victims. Ironically, the FTC has issued a warning about a website that is impersonating them to scam consumers.

  The scam website claims to be the U.S. Trading Commission. There is no such division of the U.S. Government, but the site fake uses the FTC’s seal and street address. The site claims that it is distributing a ‘personal data protection fund’ to victims of identity theft. It promises that you can receive money instantly on top of it.

  If you click on the link to obtain the money, you’re asked for your banking information, so you can receive the payment. Of course, this is just a ruse to gain access to your bank account, so the scammers can drain it. The FTC also says there’s a potential chance that going to the phony site could download malware to your device. Scammers could not only gain access to your personal information this way, but they could also spread the malware to people in your contacts list.

  Surprisingly, this phony website has claimed victims from all over the world and not just the US.

  If you were a victim of a scam that the FTC reclaimed money from, they would send you a check in the mail. They would not have a link that anybody could click on to try to claim money. The FTC would also not ask for personal identifying information like bank account information, credit card number, or Social Security number before they could deliver their payment.

  If you come across a phony FTC lookalike site, you’re asked to please report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on July 2, 2020 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: freedom to breathe card, Global Empowerment Fund, government scams, impersonation scam ( 146 ), phishing ( 76 ), Scams ( 1,367 ), unclaimed funds ( 3 ), unclaimed money ( 4 )   

  Government impersonation scams 

  

  Recently, we’ve heard of three new scams where the scammers are impersonating either the federal or state government. Scammers often imitate various government agencies in order to make their pitch seem more authentic. However, the impersonations are never perfect.

  The Federal Trade Commission is warning citizens about an email phishing scam that is using the agency’s name. The emails claim that you’re eligible to receive funds from the “Global Empowerment Fund” due to the current pandemic. All you need to do to get the money is to provide your bank account information and the money will appear in your account. While the FTC hasn’t said if anyone has fallen for this scam, it’s a safe bet to assume that your bank account will be drained rather than receive extra funds if you were to provide your banking details.

  With the current controversy over whether or not you should wear a mask to stop the spread of coronavirus, scammers are selling cards that claim to make someone exempt from having to wear a mask. The idea is that you present this card to a business that requires the wearing of masks and you’ll be allowed in without a mask. The card claims amnesty under the Americans with Disability Act and has a fake Department of Justice logo. While these cards may appear official they have no legal authority and no business is required to abide by them.

  Lastly, we have a scam on the state government level. In Michigan, residents there are reporting receiving text messages that claim to be from the state. The messages say that they can reunite the recipient with unclaimed property. The messages then provide a link for you to click on. As always, you should never click on links in text messages from someone you don’t know. Now, unclaimed property is something that most states hold on to. However, in most cases, you have to pursue the state to claim any such assets. Usually, you can start the process through a state website. Very rarely will the state contact you and if they do they wouldn’t do it by text message. If you receive a text like this the best thing to do is delete it.