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  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 2, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Scams, ,   

    Record heatwave brings out shut off scams 

    By Greg Collier

    With most of the country experiencing record-breaking heatwaves, we probably don’t have to tell you that 2023 is on its way to being the hottest year in recorded history. So, leave it to the scammers to use the sweltering heat to intimidate their victims into giving them money. While shut-off scams are common during this time of year, scammers are now packing a one-two punch of shut-off scams.

    Shut off scams typically depend on weather extremes. They tend to hit during blizzards and cold snaps, or punishing heatwaves. In the shut-off scam, scammers will pose as the power company when calling their victims. The scammers threaten their victims with having their electric service terminated for a past due balance. Victims are then told their service will be turned off in 15-30 minutes if a payment isn’t made immediately. Scammers will ask for payment in unusual means such as gift cards, but we’ve seen instances where victims are directed to make payment at Bitcoin ATMs.

    However, this summer we’re seeing another shut-off scam in addition to the power shut-off scam. Scammers are also posing as the local water company while threatening to shut off service. Being threatened with having your water turned off may even be more intimidating than having your electricity turned off. Then again, some homes can’t even have their water function without electricity. So, either way, this scam could be a nightmare for any consumer.

    It’s easy to protect yourself from this scam if you know about it. Utility companies, such as power and water, never call their customers and only give them a 15-minute warning before service is terminated. That should be the first red flag. Typically, utility companies will send several warnings in the mail before terminating service. Secondly, utility companies will never have you make payments to them in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment apps like Zelle and Venmo.

    If you receive a phone call like this, hang up. Don’t give the caller any personal information, even if they seem to know who you are. Then call your local utility to verify your account is in good standing.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 1, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Scams, , , 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.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 31, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , Scams   

    Do banks only help scam victims when the news gets involved? 

    Do banks only help scam victims when the news gets involved?

    By Greg Collier

    When we started posting about Zelle scams is when we first discovered how unhelpful banks can be when it comes to those who fell victim to these scams. Scammers will walk the victim through the Zelle app to have them transfer money to the scammers under false pretenses. Since the victim made the actual transaction, many banks will tell the victim they can’t get their money back. To the bank, or so they claim, the transaction looks authentic to them, so they can’t issue a refund to the victim.

    However, occasionally, victims will have their money returned to them after they tell their story to their local media. This typically involves the victim going to their local TV news consumer reporter. In turn, the reporter asks the bank for comment, which more often than not results in the bank issuing a refund.

    For example, a Massachusetts woman recently fell for a scam which resulted in her bank account being emptied by scammers. She received a call from scammers who were posing as PayPal to tell her there was in issue with her account. The scammers sent her a link to click on, and when she did, scammers took control of her phone. Before she knew it, $3500 was gone from her bank account.

    Her bank allegedly denied her claim until her local news station got involved. The bank reportedly claimed they reversed their decision after their decision after the victim provided additional information.

    But are these bank refunds a result of the plane crash principle? The principle says that we only hear about the planes that crash, but we don’t hear about the vast majority of planes that continually land safely.

    Are banks issuing refunds to scam victims without the media getting involved? We’d like to think they are, but somehow, we doubt it. As someone once told us, banks are in the business of making money, not issuing refunds. Not to mention, if banks started issuing refunds on demand to scam victims, it won’t be long before scammers start claiming they’ve been the victims of scams.

    The banks need to implement better initiatives to protect their customers from scammers. Education has not been enough, as scammers often intimidate their victims into ignoring the education. If just one major bank came forward with a new program to protect their customers from scammers, we’re sure it would not only be great PR for them, but they would probably attract many new customers.

    However, it will most likely be a long time before that happens. In the meantime, we need to look out for ourselves. If you receive a phone call from any company related to money, like PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, or even your own bank, hang up, and call them back at the company’s official customer service number. You can find these numbers, if the company has one, on their website under the contact section.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 28, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , , Scams, ,   

    Scam Round Up: Weird AI scam and more 

    Scam Round Up: Weird AI scam and more

    By Greg Collier

    Our first scam comes to us from Athens, Texas, where residents have been experiencing a twist in the arrest warrant scam, also known as a police impersonation scam. Typically, when scammers pose as police, they’ll call their intended victims and tell them they have a warrant out for their arrest, The scammers usually claim this for missed jury duty, but they can also claim a number of other infractions.

    For example, residents of Athens have complained the scammers are accusing their victims of using their phone to transmit a photo that traumatized a child. Essentially, the scammers accused their victims of sending explicit material to a child. The victim is then asked to pay several hundred dollars over the phone to resolve the complaint.

    That’s not how arrest warrants work. If there is a warrant for your arrest, especially one that’s supposedly this serious, the police are not going to call you over the phone. Also, no law enforcement agency will ask for money over the phone, and then ask for it in unusual ways, like gift cards or cryptocurrency, just to name a few.

    If you receive a call like this, hang up and call your local police at their emergency number. Not only can you verify there is no warrant for your arrest, you can let the police know scammers are working in your area.

    ***

    Police in Connecticut are warning residents there has been an uptick in check washing. Check washing typically involves stealing checks that are in outgoing mail. Thieves often steal the mail from residential mailboxes, along with the outdoor drop-off boxes used by the US Postal Service. They then dip the written checks in a chemical solution that removes the ink from the check, so the thieves can write the checks to themselves.

    The police in Connecticut are also warning residents the thieves can steal checks out of your trash. If you use your bank’s mobile app to deposit checks, and then throw the checks out, make sure they’re properly shredded before throwing them out, as check washing can still be performed on voided checks.

    If you have to write a check, which is going in the mail, use a gel-based ink pen. The ink in gel pens is said to be more resistant to check washing. Also, don’t put the envelope that holds the check in your mailbox and the put the mailbox flag up. This is a signal to thieves there may be a check in there.

    ***

    Lastly, we’ve read about another AI voice-spoofing scam. There has been a rash of these scams nationwide over the past year or so. In this scam, the victim gets a phone call where the voice sounds like exactly like one of the victim’s loved ones. The scammers manipulate the loved one’s voice in such a way where it sounds like the actual loved one is in some kind of trouble and needs money to resolve the issue. Typically, the scammers ask for bail money, or in some cases a ransom. However, the loved one is usually unaware their voice is being used in a scam.

    However, the recent news article we read out of Alabama, suggests scammers are using the voice-spoofing technique in identity theft. An Alabama woman received a call she thought was from her brother, but was actually from scammers. Instead of asking for money, they asked the woman for personal information. They then used this information to hijack her Facebook account and use that for additional scams. Police there have said the scammers used the videos the brother posted on social media to mimic his voice with AI.

    We can’t say for sure, but this sounds like the scammers may have been asking for the woman’s security questions in case she lost her Facebook password. Considering the answers to these questions are something like “What was your first pet’s name?” or “What city were you born?” these may seem like innocuous questions coming from a close family member.

    In cases like this, it’s best to ask the family member calling a question only they would know to verify their identity.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 27, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Scams,   

    The dead are selling Taylor Swift tickets 

    By Greg Collier

    In case you didn’t know, the demand for Taylor Swift concert tickets is through the proverbial roof right now. In some arenas, even the nosebleed seats are going for around a cool grand. Since the tour began, scammers have been pulling out all the stops to swindle the Taylor Swift faithful who are looking for a ‘cheaper’ ticket. Typically, this involves taking money from fans while promising tickets but never delivering them. However, this is the first time we’ve heard of a deceased person scamming would-be concert-goers.

    To be fair, this scam isn’t too different from any other ticket scam. In the Sacramento, California area, someone was offering a pair of tickets for sale on Facebook for $500 each. A friend of a friend of the seller saw this post and asked to buy the tickets. The seller asked for payment through the usual apps like Venmo and Zelle, but the payments wouldn’t go through for whatever reason. Thankfully, the buyer didn’t lose any money, but what they found out was eerie to say the least.

    The person who owned the Facebook profile which was selling the tickets had passed away a few years ago. Scammers had taken over the account and were now using it for scams. The buyer even confronted the scammer online, but the scammer insisted that the deceased person was their spouse, even though the decedent had never been married.

    If a loved one has passed away, and you want to preserve their Facebook account, Facebook has a process you can go through called memorializing the account. Facebook says memorializing the account will prevent scammers like this from taking over the account. You can find more information about that here.

    If you’re looking to buy any in-demand event tickets, it’s best to avoid social media. Social media platforms are not designed for secure transactions, making it easier for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting buyers. Fake ticket sellers may pose as legitimate sources, enticing buyers with attractive deals, only to disappear after receiving payment, leaving the buyer with no tickets and little chance of recovering their money.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 25, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , Scams   

    Reporter’s home used in rental scam 

    By Greg Collier

    If you’re a rental scammer, the last house you want to use in your scam is probably one which belongs to a police officer. The second to last house a scammer would want to use would most likely belong to a reporter. But that’s precisely what happened to a TV reporter from the Hampton Roads, Virginia area.

    The reporter listed her home for rent on Zillow and only Zillow. After posting her home on Zillow, she received a text from a good Samaritan. The man who texted her said he found her home listed for rent on Craigslist. Not only did the Craigslist ad list the home for a cheaper rent, but the scammer was asking for an $80 application fee. The scammer had reportedly been talking to the man for two days before the man drove over to the property and called the number that was on the ‘for rent’ sign.

    Then the reporter did what reporters do, she began to investigate the phony listing. During her investigation, she also found her home listed for rent on Facebook Marketplace. As you might expect, she called the phone number listed in the phony ads. The scammer said he would meet with her to show her the home and would need $1000 for the security deposit. However, when it came time to meet, the scammer instead sent the reporter a link to the application and asked for the $80 application fee. The reporter even commented on how official looking the application was.

    The reporter called the scammer and asked him how long he owned the home, with the scammer replying two years. She then told the scammer she was both the owner of the home and a reporter. The scammer hung up the call, and when the reporter tried to call back, she only got the voicemail message.

    If you’re looking to rent or sell your home online, there’s not much you can do to prevent it being used in a scam. We have seen online listings where the seller states that the home is not listed on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. That may aid in discouraging renters from falling victim to a rental scam.

    We understand that there may be urgent situations requiring individuals to find a new home swiftly. However, regardless of the circumstances, it is crucial for potential renters to dedicate time to researching a property before making any financial commitments. One essential step is to determine the current rental rates for homes in the desired area. If a particular home seems remarkably affordable, exercising caution is advisable. Engage in a thorough web search using the property’s address to identify any other listings associated with different realtors and rental prices, as scammers often replicate legitimate real estate offers. Additionally, it is prudent to verify the true ownership of the property by consulting the county’s tax assessor office or website. By taking these precautionary measures, individuals can protect themselves from potential rental scams and ensure a safe and informed decision-making process.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 24, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Scams,   

    One more social media scam to watch out for 

    Two more social media scams to watch out for

    By Greg Collier

    Social media platforms have become an integral part of our daily lives. From connecting with friends and family to discovering new trends and ideas, these online spaces offer seemingly endless possibilities. However, amid the allure of likes and follows lies a dark underbelly of deception and exploitation. Social media has become a breeding ground for an untold number of scams. Here is one, which has garnered headlines recently, which you should be on the lookout for.

    There are a few different lost pet scams on social media. This one appeals to our humanity and our desire to help others. Scammers are posting pictures of what appear to be injured cats or dogs. Don’t worry too much. The pictures used in these posts were stolen elsewhere from the internet. We’re pretty sure scammers aren’t actually injuring animals deliberately, but we wouldn’t put it past them.

    Accompanying the pictures are pleas to help find the pet’s owner. There’s also a request to share the post if you don’t know who the owner is. Someone would have to be heartless not to share the post, right? That’s what the scammers are hoping for. Once the post reaches a certain number of shares, the scammers will edit the post to show something else, typically related to some kind of scam. Recently, reports have shown scammers changing the post to sunglasses they’re supposedly selling. In the past, we’ve seen cryptocurrency ads and bank scams replace the original post.

    So, how do you differentiate between a scam post and a legitimate post about a lost or injured pet? Before sharing the post, check to see if the post allows comments. If it doesn’t, that’s a good indicator it might be a scam, as scammers don’t want people telling others the post is a scam. Also check the profile of the person making the post. If their profile has very few friends or is relatively new, those are also good indicators the post may be a scam. You can also check the person’s profile for where they supposedly live. If they live nowhere near where the pet was supposedly found, they’re probably scammers.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 21, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , Scams,   

    Scammers hope you miss your flight 

    Scammers hope you miss your flight

    By Greg Collier

    If you’ve ever had to travel by air, then you’re probably familiar with flight delays and cancellations. Unfortunately, they’re an inevitable part of flying. Or maybe you got stuck in traffic and missed your flight. When this happens, what’s the first thing you do. For some, it’s to get on the phone with their airline to see if they can reschedule a new flight to get to their destination. But very few people have the customer service number memorized or saved to their phone. So, they’ll Google the airline’s number, and the next thing they know, they’ve paid five times the original ticket price and are still stuck at the airport without an updated flight.

    So, how does something like this happen? A couple of ways, actually. Typically, scammers will buy sponsored listings on search engines to have their fake phone number promoted over the official number. Or they pose as the airline and tell the search engine company that their phony number is the new customer service number.

    When a weary and frustrated traveler calls a scam call center, a scammer, posing as a customer service agent, will tell the traveler they can book them a new flight with no problem. Except, the new ticket costs multiple times more than the original ticket price. Then the scammers will either ask for your payment information, or they’ll ask for an unusual payment method like gift cards or cryptocurrency. As you can probably imagine, they’re not booking anyone a new flight, either.

    If you find yourself in this situation, don’t rely on search engines for phone numbers. Instead, go to the airline’s website and find their customer service number there. If you do call an unauthorized customer service number and the customer service rep doesn’t mention the airline’s name when answering your call, that could be a good indicator you’re talking to a scammer. Lastly, when flying, use a credit card whenever possible. Credit cards offer much more protection than a debit card.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 20, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , Scams, , , ,   

    Scam Round Up: Fake cops threaten tenants and more 

    Scam Round Up: Fake cops threaten tenants and more

    By Greg Collier

    Our first scam of the day comes to us from a warning from the New York City Police Department. The NYPD says they’ve seen an increase in a charity scam that involves Venmo and your phone. Scammers are approaching NYC residents while pretending they’re working for a charity.

    The scammers will ask for a donation through the personal payment app Venmo. The victim will be provided the information to make the donation, but the donation won’t go through. This is when the scammer will ask for the victim’s phone to help them make the donation. Instead, the scammers are sending the entire amount of the victim’s Venmo account to themselves.

    The NYPD is telling residents not to hand their phones over to strangers, especially if they’re asking for donations. Please keep in mind, Venmo was intended to be used between family and friends.

    ***

    We’ve been keeping a close eye on the scams that involve AI-generated voice-spoofing. Scammers will take someone’s voice either from social media or their voicemail message and run it through an AI voice program that will allow them to make someone’s voice say just about anything they want. Typically, voice-spoofing is used in the grandparent and virtual kidnapping scams. In these scams, scammers need the victim to believe they’re talking to a loved one.

    The most recent report we have on this is out of Atlanta, where a mother was confronted with this scam. She received a call she thought was from her adult daughter. She heard her daughter’s voice before someone on the call said her daughter saw something she shouldn’t have and has now been kidnapped. The caller demanded $50,000 in ransom.

    Thankfully, her husband was able to get a hold of her daughter, who was in no real danger.

    If you receive a phone call like this, always try to reach the person who has been supposedly kidnapped through other means. Even if you have a full conversation with someone who sounds just like your loved one, always verify the story. Ask them a question only they would know, or set up a family code word ahead of time that would signify who you were talking to.

    ***

    Residents of Newark, New Jersey, have reported that people posing as police have been going around to tenants and demanding multiple months worth of rent. If the phony officers don’t get the money, they threaten the tenants with eviction and arrest.

    In New Jersey, an eviction can’t be carried out until the landlord has received a judgment in court.

    If you’re renting your home or apartment, you should familiarize yourself with your state’s or county’s eviction process.

    Also, keep in mind, legitimate police will never show up at your door asking for your rent money. If someone claiming to be police does show up at your door, call the police department they’re supposedly from and verify if an officer has been dispatched to your home.

     

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