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  Geebo 9:02 am on November 19, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: email ( 6 ), government scams ( 6 ), impersonation scam ( 146 ), phishing, Scams ( 1,366 )   

  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 8:00 am on July 22, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: CrowdStrike, Microsoft ( 21 ), phishing, Scams ( 1,366 )   

  Scams expected in wake of CrowdStrike crash 

  

  By Greg Collier

  On Friday, a faulty software update from CrowdStrike’s Falcon monitoring platform caused widespread disruptions, affecting 8.5 million Windows devices globally. This incident led to significant interruptions in various services, including online banking and air travel, despite accounting for less than one percent of all Windows machines. The outage was not the result of a cyberattack, but it has sparked serious concerns about opportunistic scams exploiting the chaos.

  In the wake of the outage, both CrowdStrike and several government-affiliated agencies have issued warnings about a surge in phishing and scam activities. Scammers are quick to capitalize on the confusion, using tactics such as malicious domain registrations, phishing emails, and fraudulent phone calls. A notable scam involves a ZIP archive named “crowdstrike-hotfix.zip,” designed to steal data from unsuspecting users.

  Staying safe during this period requires vigilance and caution. Be aware of phishing scams claiming to resolve the outage, and avoid downloading software or opening attachments from unknown sources. When receiving requests for personal information, always verify the sender and never share sensitive details with unverified contacts. It’s crucial to use official channels when seeking assistance. Contact companies directly through their official websites or help desks, and make sure to visit CrowdStrike and Microsoft’s dedicated support pages for accurate information.

  Scammers often create a sense of urgency to prompt hasty actions. Resist the pressure to act quickly and take your time to verify any communication you receive. Reporting scams is essential. In the U.S., report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.

  Support vulnerable individuals by checking in with elderly friends and family members who might be targeted. Ensure they understand the current scam tactics and know how to stay safe. This collective vigilance can help protect against the wave of scams taking advantage of the current situation.

  Experts advise that the best course of action when uncertain about a communication is to contact businesses directly. This helps avoid falling for scams masquerading as legitimate offers of assistance. Additionally, it’s important not to succumb to pressure and rush into actions that could compromise personal information.

  As the fallout from the CrowdStrike-induced outage continues, maintaining vigilance and adhering to these safety measures will help protect against the wave of scams. Remember, forewarned is forearmed. Stay informed, cautious, and always verify the sources of any communications you receive.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on June 4, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: cybersecurity ( 37 ), Facebook ( 178 ), phishing, Scams ( 1,366 ), social media ( 79 )   

  Protect your Facebook account from latest phishing scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Social media scams are constantly evolving, and the latest phishing scheme is a new threat targeting Facebook users. It’s designed to trick you into revealing your login credentials by exploiting your fear of losing access to your account. The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning about this scam, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and avoiding it. Here’s how you can identify this scam and safeguard your account from hackers.

  You might receive an email that seems to be from Facebook, warning about a breach of Community Standards on your page. The message might look like this: “Recently, we discovered a breach of our Community Standards on your page. Your page has been disabled for violating our Terms. If you believe this decision is incorrect, you can request a review and file an appeal at the link below.” The email could also state that if you don’t act within 24 hours, your account will be permanently deleted. The email includes a link that appears to lead to Facebook’s website.

  When faced with such a message, it’s essential to remain calm and scrutinize it closely. You will likely find telltale signs of a scam, such as, typos and grammatical errors in the message, an email sender’s address that doesn’t match Facebook’s official addresses, or you might notice that the link doesn’t actually point to Facebook’s website.

  Another variant of this phishing scam targets business pages, threatening deactivation due to a Terms of Service or Community Standards violation. This message pretends to be from Meta Business Support and asks the administrator to confirm the account by clicking a link, or face permanent deletion. Clicking the link typically leads to a fake but official-looking page that prompts you to fill out a form with your login email, phone number, name, and other details. Once submitted, you are asked to confirm your password, providing scammers the information needed to hijack your account. We have to clear out messages like this from our inbox daily just because we’re a business with a Facebook page.

  There are steps you can take to protect yourself from this scam, such as reading suspicious emails and messages carefully, looking for signs of a scam before taking any action. Remember, fake alerts are common as scammers frequently target social media accounts.

  If you receive a message similar to the one’s mentioned, you should verify its claims by logging into your Facebook account directly to check if there is an actual problem. Do not rely on the information provided in the message to make any decisions.

  Also, even if an alert seems legitimate, use the Facebook app to log in or type the URL into the browser bar yourself. Avoid clicking on links sent via email or messages.

  Lastly, never enter your login information on a third-party website or any page other than the official Facebook website. Do not send your login details via email or Facebook Messenger. If you suspect you’ve entered your credentials on a fake form, change your password immediately.

  By staying informed and cautious, you can protect your Facebook account from phishing scams and other online threats. The Better Business Bureau’s warning serves as a reminder that your security starts with a proactive approach to recognizing and avoiding these scams.

   
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  Geebo 9:05 am on December 15, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Apple ( 30 ), bills ( 2 ), impersonation scam ( 146 ), phishing, remote access ( 6 ), Scams ( 1,366 )   

  New scam sends you a bill from Apple 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Whenever you see a headline that says there’s a new scam, the odds are it’s an old scam in new clothing. It’s just more efficient to say there’s a new scam in the headline in order to better educate the reader. Today’s scam is no different.

  Security experts are saying scammers are sending bills to their victims that appear to look like a bill from Apple Computers. The bill says the recipient is being charged close to $300 for security ‘upgradation’. Upgradation is an English word, however, it is not used in American English. That should be someone’s first clue the bill is fraudulent.

  The bill contains a phone number to call in case the recipient has any questions. Once a victim calls the number, they’re told they’ll be issued a refund if they allow the phony customer service agent to have remote access to the victim’s device. Red flags do not get any redder than this. Once a user allows remote access to their device, bad actors can install malware on to the device, or gain access to your online accounts.

  A similar scam to this one is when victims receive an email that claims someone just made a large purchase on their Amazon account, prompting the victim to call a customer service included in the email.

  In this instance, the scammers are posing as Apple because Apple users have a reputation of being more affluent since Apple devices are more expensive than competitors’ devices. The scammers don’t actually know who owns an Apple device. They send out these email invoices en masse, hoping they snag an Apple using victim. It’s almost certain some Windows and Android users received phony Apple emails too.

  With these email scams, never call the phone number included. Instead, manually check your account from that vendor or service to make sure you haven’t been charged. If you still feel the need to call them, use the customer service number from their website.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on October 24, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: email ( 6 ), impersonation scam ( 146 ), phishing, Scams ( 1,366 ), USPS ( 13 )   

  USPS warns of $2M email scam 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The United States Postal Service (USPS) has had to issue many scam warnings in its recent past. The one you might most be familiar with is the undelivered package scam. This is when scammers send out text messages purporting to be from the USPS. The text messages say the USPS could not deliver the recipient’s package and needs additional information to make the delivery. These text messages often contain a link where the recipient will either be asked for personal or financial information. Now, the USPS is issuing a warning about an email scam they’ve discovered.

  According to the USPS, scammers are sending out emails asking for the recipient’s personal information such as street address and phone number, among other information. The emails look like they’re coming from the USPS, but they’re not. Much like the text messages, the emails also claim that a delivery is trying to be made to the recipient. However, in order to potentially get as much information as possible from the recipient, the scam emails are dangling a large incentive in front of them.

  The emails claim the recipient is receiving a $2 million cashier’s check along with $50,000 in money orders. The email then instructs the recipient to send their personal information to another address. From there, the recipient’s identity could be easily stolen. The USPS hasn’t said if anyone has fallen victim to this scam yet.

  As always, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. No one is sending out $2M checks out of the goodness of their hearts. Even if they were, the check would more than likely not be sent through the regular mail. Subsequently, the USPS does not reach out to customers through text, email, or phone call about undeliverable packages. They never ask for personal or payment information, either.

  If you receive an email like this, you’re asked to forward it to spam@uspis.gov before deleting the email.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on October 6, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: phishing, qr codes ( 8 ), quishing, Scams ( 1,366 )   

  New QR code scam could show up in your inbox 

  

  By Greg Collier

  First, there was phishing, the emails from scammers that tried to get you to click on malicious links. Then there was smishing where scammers tried to get you to click on malicious links in SMS/text messages. Now, there is a new scam called ‘quishing’, which involves QR codes.

  QR codes are similar to the bar codes that get scanned at the supermarket. Except, in the case of QR codes, they direct you to a website. They’re essentially fancy links. When you scan a QR code with your phone’s camera, a URL will pop up for you to click on. While QR codes are used in many industries, their most common use is for advertising. You might see an ad that contains a QR code that will direct you to a sale on a retail site, for example.

  Scammers are now said to be sending emails containing QR codes. The scam emails are made to look like they’re being sent from well-known brands and companies. The email will ask the recipient to scan the QR code to receive some kind of discount or special offer. What actually happens when the code is scanned, the victim is taken to a website that infects their device with malware. From there, the scammers can potentially access any app you may have on your phone. The QR code could also take you to a website that’s cloned from the brand the scammers are imitating, where a victim will be asked for personal or financial information.

  After scanning a QR code, take a close look at the URL or web address it leads to. Be cautious if it appears to be misspelled, overly complex, or has a suspicious domain.

  If you happen to scan a fraudulent QR code, it’s crucial to promptly update your passwords for any affected accounts to prevent unauthorized access by scammers. Additionally, take immediate measures to enhance the security of your financial accounts. Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on these accounts is another effective way to bolster their protection against unauthorized access.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 11, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: phishing, Scams ( 1,366 ), text scam ( 23 ), venmo ( 28 )   

  New scam targets Venmo users 

  

  By Greg Collier

  If you use the mobile payment app Venmo, there are already a ton of scams you have to look out for. However, most of them are about whom the user is sending money to. Remember, Venmo is only supposed to be used between friends and family. Most legitimate businesses and organizations do not request payment through Venmo.

  But now there’s a new Venmo scam that’s determined to empty your account. The Ohio Division of Financial Institutions has issued a warning about the latest scam.

  The scam starts when the victim receives a text message that appears to have come from Venmo. The text asks the victim if their Venmo account was used in another part of the country. The message also contains a link to click on if you didn’t make that transaction.

  If the victim clicks on the link, they’re taken to a website that looks like it’s Venmo, but it’s actually a fake website designed to look like it. The fake website asks for the user’s log in credentials, and if they’re entered, the scammers can easily hijack the Venmo account and drain all the funds from it.

  So, how do the scammers know their victim has a Venmo account? In most instances, they don’t know. Scammers will send out these texts randomly while hoping someone will take the bait.

  There are a couple of ways you can protect yourself from this scam. The first is to never click on any links that appear in text messages from people you don’t know personally. Instead, log in to your Venmo account and review it for any potentially fraudulent charges. The other way is to enable two-factor authentication on your account. If your device has a fingerprint reader, it’s recommended to use that as your 2FA method as the fingerprint will be tied to your device, and not something that can be easily duplicated.

  And if Venmo is being used in a scam like this, it’s only a matter of time before it comes to Zelle, PayPal, and Cash App.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on August 1, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: Elon Musk ( 2 ), phishing, Scams ( 1,366 ), Twitter ( 13 ), twitter scam ( 2 ), X   

  Twitter rebrand brings out scammers 

  

  By Greg Collier

  If you’ve been following the news lately, you’re probably aware of Elon Musk’s rebranding of the social media platform Twitter into X. Gone is the blue Twitter bird that has graced the platform for over 15 years, replaced by a stylized X as the logo. So, when a story like this is large enough to garner national headlines, leave it to the scammers to take advantage of the situation.

  As we have said in the past, scammers are probably the most news-connected people around. They can take a news story as small as a local power outage to a massive story like this and use it to their advantage. In the case of Twitter/X, many scammers have launched a phishing campaign against Twitter/X users, especially those who signed up for Twitter Blue.

  Before Musk took over Twitter, to get the vaunted blue checkmark next to your name, you had to be someone of importance. After Musk bought Twitter, he instituted Twitter Blue, which allowed users to have a blue checkmark as long as they paid an $8/mo. subscription fee. Many critics claimed Twitter Blue devalued the checkmark, and therefore devalued Twitter.

  Now, while Twitter is in the middle of a rebrand, the scammers have decided to strike. Many Twitter Blue users have received emails telling them they need to update their subscriptions to X memberships. The email also contains a link for users to click on to supposedly update their memberships. If someone were to click on the link, they would essentially be handing their Twitter profile to scammers. From there, scammers can use what appear to be verified accounts to spread even more scams.

  To better protect yourself against phishing scams like this, do not click on links or download attachments in emails from unknown or suspicious sources. Check the email address of the sender to ensure it matches the official email address of the organization they claim to represent. Phishers often use email addresses that resemble the real ones, but have slight variations. Legitimate organizations rarely ask for personal information through email or text messages. Be cautious if an email requests sensitive data, such as passwords. Lastly, before clicking on any link, hover your mouse pointer over it to see the actual URL. This allows you to check if the link is legitimate or if it redirects to a suspicious website.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on May 31, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: .zip, Google ( 30 ), phishing, Scams ( 1,366 ), top level domains, URLs   

  New domain extension already being used in scams 

  

  By Greg Collier

  If you’re unfamiliar with .zip files, they can be one large file or several smaller files that are compressed into a .zip file to make the space they take up on your device smaller. These .zip packages can be decompressed, or unzipped, by using programs like Win-Zip, 7-Zip, or the built-in compression utilities provided by operating systems such as Windows and macOS.

  Many software applications and operating systems are distributed in the form of .zip files. This allows developers to package all the necessary files and folders into a single archive, simplifying the installation process for users.

  Earlier this month, Google started offering .zip internet domains. That means anyone who wants to buy a web address can purchase a .zip domain instead of .com or .net. Many tech enthusiasts chided Google for making .zip available for domains, as they could be abused by scammers. Now, according to tech reports, the scams have already begun.

  A victim could be thinking they’re downloading legitimate software, but are then directed to a .zip website that could infect their device with malware, among other things. The website will mimic a .zip file being extracted, along with a fake pop-up that says the .zip file has been scanned and no viruses were found.

  For a more detailed explanation of how this works, please read this article from Bleeping Computer.

  Unfortunately, there’s no hard and fast rule to protect yourself from such a scam. If you do download a .zip file, make sure it’s from a trusted source. Anything else that has .zip at the end of it, you may want to avoid it.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on May 23, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: advance fee scam ( 45 ), Amazon ( 108 ), bitcoin ( 32 ), Facebook ( 178 ), look who died, Messenger ( 4 ), phishing, Publishers Clearing House ( 11 ), Scams ( 1,366 ), sweepstakes ( 25 )   

  Scam Round Up: The classics make a return 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Even though there has been an uptick in technologically advanced scams, there are some classic scams that never went away. Here are three we think you should be reminded of.

  If you get a phone call or email that says there’s been a fraudulent charge on your Amazon account, the chances are it’s a scam.

  A woman from Lincoln, Nebraska, recently fell victim to this scam when she thought she was talking to the fraud department of her bank. The scammers convinced her she needed to make payments in Bitcoin to correct the error. She ended up sending the scammers $52,000 in Bitcoin after withdrawing it from her 401K.

  If you receive a call or message like this, go directly to your Amazon account and check for fraudulent charges. If there aren’t any, then whoever contacted you is trying to scam you. No matter how urgent they make it seem, slow down and verify their story before sending any money. And if Bitcoin is brought up in the conversation, then it’s definitely a scam.

  Scammers love to hijack Facebook accounts. When they do, not only do they get your personal information, but they can then use your account to try to scam everyone on your friends list.

  One of the ways they do this is by sending a Facebook message that says, “Look who died.” The message contains a link that appears like it will take you to a news article. Instead, it will inject malware onto your device that can hijack your Facebook account.

  Messenger is a pretty big breeding ground for scams. Outside of the ‘look who died’ message, you should also avoid messages about government grants, cryptocurrency, or just about any message that involves money.

  You may also want to let your Facebook friend know outside of Facebook that their account has been hacked.

  Last, but certainly not least, is the Publisher’s Clearinghouse scam. We’re all familiar with PCH. If you win a substantial prize from them, they surprise you at home in their Prize Van with a large novelty check. The thing with PCH is, you have to enter their sweepstakes first before you can win anything.

  Scammers will call victims at random while posing as PCH, telling their victims they’ve won millions of dollars. The scammers will then try to get their victims to make a payment to claim their prize. The payment will be disguised as something like taxes or processing fees. This is known as the advanced fee scam, which has cost victims thousands of dollars. Once a victim makes payment, the scammers will continue to string the victim along by asking for more money.

  Keep in mind, it’s illegal for sweepstakes like PCH to ask for money before issuing a prize. That’s why legitimate sweepstakes always have the tagline of ‘no purchase necessary’.