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Scam Radar — September 2024

Below are three new scams to keep on your radar, as well as some tips for how to avoid them. Be on the look out for yourself, your family, and your clients! THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK!

Don’t Be Fooled by Fake Phone Numbers

In a recent scam, cybercriminals have been using Google search results to try to trick you into calling a phone number that they control. If you search for an organization on Google, scammers can manipulate the search results to display a fake phone number for the organization. Don’t take a chance of losing your investments on a risky phone call.

If you search on Google and call the fake number from one of these manipulated search results, you will be connected to a scammer. They will attempt to trick you out of your money by saying that your account needs updates or you need to transfer funds. They may ask you for your login information so that they can access your account. Once they gain access to your account, they can quickly transfer your funds to accounts they control. This is one investment that you don’t want to risk!

Tips to Avoid Similar Scams:

  • Confirm that you are on the organization’s official website if you are going to buy one of their products or use one of their services.
  • Double-check that the listed phone number is the same one on the organization’s official website.
  • Report any fake listings, ads, or any other type of disinformation through Google’s Report services.

Beware of the Celebrity AI Cash Grab

If you have been on the internet recently, there are good odds you have seen talk of AI and the different ways it can be used to create various things. One of the things that has become popular is to AI generate celebrities into fake images and video. Of course, cybercriminals have begun to make use of this, and have generated fake videos of celebrities (such as Elon Musk) that attempt to trick you into sending them money. Cybercriminals often use AI to do this in order to spread misinformation or to trap you in one of their scams. The one involving Elon Musk asks you to deposit cryptocurrency into an online account.

In this video, AI is used to create a fake Elon Musk, though it looks and sounds like the real Elon. It contains a QR code, and the fake Elon urges you to scan it. If you follow the video’s instructions, you will be directed to deposit money into an account with the promise of receiving a larger return for your investment. The catch is that there is no return! Your funds have been deposited straight into the pockets of cybercriminals!

Tips to Avoid Similar Scams:

  • Be wary of any social media content that uses endorsements from celebrities, because celebrities can be impersonated more easily online.
  • Be cautious whenever you are prompted to enter financial information online. Only use official financial websites.
  • No legitimate financial institution will guarantee a large return on a small investment. If the opportunity seems too good to be true, it usually is.

The Fake Funeral Livestream

Unfortunately, cybercriminals will go to great lengths to try to trick you and steal your information. In this week’s scam, cybercriminals are stealing photos and personal details of recently deceased people from social media. They use these photos and personal details to create convincing comments on Facebook. When an announcement is posted about the deceased person, the cybercriminals leave a comment. The comment says that the funeral is being streamed online and that you need to click a link to watch it.

However, the funeral service isn’t actually being streamed online. If you click the link in the comment, you’ll be taken to a fake website that’s controlled by the cybercriminals. The website includes instructions to enter your credit card information so that you can supposedly watch the funeral. If you enter any information here, the cybercriminals will be able to see it immediately. You won’t actually be able to watch the funeral service online, but the cybercriminals will be able to charge your credit card!

Tips to Avoid Similar Scams:

  • Never donate money to an online fund unless you can verify it has been set up by an official source.

  • If you’re experiencing a major loss, set your social media websites to private before posting details about the deceased person. This will make it more difficult for cybercriminals to steal personal photos and information.

  • Always use caution when entering financial information online. Make sure that the website you’re visiting is legitimate.

Protect Your Personal Information

For years, we’ve been warned not to share too much personal information with people we meet online. Now, you can shop online for almost any product, manage your finances with online banking services, and chat with friends and strangers on social media. While you enjoy all the conveniences of modern technology, are you paying attention to all the ways that it can be used against you? Let’s take a look at ways that you can protect your personal information.

Guard Your Login Credentials

If cybercriminals steal your login credentials, they can access your accounts and find your personal or professional information. Follow these tips to protect your accounts:

  • Don’t enter your login credentials unless you are certain that a website or app is secure.

  • Use unique passwords for each of your accounts. A password manager can help you keep track of all your passwords, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) can add another layer of security.

  • Use passwords and update the security software for all of your devices. IN addition to computers and smartphones, there are several other devices that can connect to the internet. If you don’t protect these devices, they can be vulnerable to hacking, too.

Be Aware of Data Tracking

When you’re online, your activity can be tracked by the websites that you visit and by third parties who collect data through those websites. Data tracking allows websites to remember your preferences, but it also allows third parties to use your information in ways that don’t benefit you. Follow these tips when browsing the internet:

  • Watch out for unusual cookies. Cookies are small pieces of data that websites share with your web browser. Some cookies are used to analyze how you interact with the website, while others are used for authentication purposes, security measures, or targeted ads. If you don’t want third parties to develop a profile about your online and offline activities, look out for cookies that track your location, purchase history, and search history.

  • Pay attention to who has access to information about you. If an organization’s website is tracking your information and the organization isn’t careful about who they sell the collected data to, the organization could put you at risk of cyberattacks. When you create an account or use a service, read the organization’s privacy policy to learn what personal data will be collected and who your data will be shared with.

  • Choose your own settings for data tracking. Most websites will ask you for permission to track your activity through cookies. You can opt-out of or block most third-party cookies. If you want to only allow certain permissions, you can adjust your web browser’s settings.

Avoid Oversharing on Social Media

Social media can be used to update friends and family about your life, but cybercriminals can also use your accounts as an easy source of information. Follow these tips when using social media:

  • Guard your personally identifiable information (PII) by limiting what information you share online.

  • Check your privacy settings to minimize the information that can be viewed by the public, especially if you use your real name or the same alias across multiple websites. Cybercriminals can scour the internet for any information associated with your name or accounts.

  • Watch out for subtle methods of information gathering, such as quizzes that ask for personal details like your mother’s maiden name or your date of birth. Over time, cybercriminals could collect enough details to hack your accounts or steal your identity.

Remember that you are an important part of your organization’s human firewall. Make sure to use strong passwords, use multiple layers of security, and be aware of what data you share and who you share it with. If your personal information is ever shared in a data breach, make sure to quickly change your passwords and reach out to your IT team for guidance. Stay safe!

For more information regarding scams, please visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Advice website.

You can also find details about the signs of a scam, how to avoid a scam, and how to report a scam in this article by the FTC — How to Avoid a Scam.

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