As I shared in my post, "Soapbox," the FBI has released the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) 2019 Internet Crime Report. While my "Soapbox" post was focused on Tech Support Fraud, I think it's important to share some of the other information found in this compte ren·du. For the record, I'm not passing this information along …
Category: Scams
Soapbox
Yes, I've been on my soapbox preaching away for a long time. In fact, three years ago, I published this video: https://youtu.be/RK2i8RtCP60 The IC3 Yesterday, the FBI Released the Internet Crime Complaint Center 2019 Internet Crime Report. This review covers all the financial losses that people and companies incurred in 2019 because of Internet scammers and …
I Recommend These…
People often ask me what books I recommend when it comes to computing devices. I have a number of them I really enjoy and/or find helpful for my customers. In this post, I'm sharing fourteen of them. This array covers everything from computer history to Windows 10 and both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. There …
Fake Replies
Earlier this week, I posted about one of our customers whose email was hacked and all kinds of problems ensued. (Hacking Email) I found out that one of the people who received the fake email replied to it with the word "No." This person knew the email was a fake and, I guess, wanted to …
Look Younger Now!
The title of this post, "Look Younger Now" is an example of another computing term: "clickbait." The purpose of clickbait is to use words and/or pictures to attract your interest and get you to click on an article or an ad or a webpage. As is the case with this post, often the clickbait has …
So, This Just Happened…
There I was this morning just reading an article on a jury trial. I was on a legitimate news website and I had not clicked on anything. Suddenly, the window you see above popped up on my screen. Yes, I was in Google Chrome so the heading fits. However, this is a prime example of …
I Won, I Won!
Today, I received an email telling me that I could claim my prize in the Chevron Texaco Oil Promotion (see the image above). Interestingly, I do have a Chevron/Texaco Oil gas credit card. So, at first glance, I might think this is legit. But, of course, it's not. Let's look at the top of the …
Hello, It’s Google Calling – NOT
For years, I've been preaching about phone calls and pop-ups that purport to be from Microsoft and/or Apple. It's been over three years since I first posted a video warning about these scams. (See the video below. If you've never watched it, you should.) Since that time, I've written Question of the Week emails about …
Stuart Rotary
Yesterday, I was privileged to be the guest speaker at the Stuart Rotary Club's weekly meeting. I felt very much at home as this was my third time presenting a program for the men and women of this great organization. Plus, a number of friends and customers belong to the club and were in attendance …
Apple Problem?
It seems like forever. Apple users were able to justify the cost of their Apple product, if for no other reason, because it was safer than a Microsoft device. Think about it. While there were tens of thousands of viruses for the Windows Operating System, there were, maybe, a hundred or so for the Mac …
Give Me A “V”
You're not going to believe this one! On my blog, I've posted about phishing and, hopefully, you understand what that encompasses. (If not, click on the word "phishing" in the previous sentence and have a look at the posts I've done.) Now, there's a new type of scam. It's call "vishing." It's like phishing except …
Bahamian Alert
An attempt to appeal to your willingness to help others. Warning! It occurs after every natural disaster. Whether it's a hurricane, earthquake, tornado, volcano eruption, mud slide or major flood, you can count on it happening. There will be crooks who will attempt to use Social Engineering and appeal to your willingness to help others. …
Online Dating – A Warning
We see ads about online dating all the time. These ads are on TV, online when we're shopping and on Social Media platforms. There are online dating apps for young kids, for "seniors" and for those "starting over." According to some sources, in the US, 40 million people have used online dating sites or apps …
This Is Getting Taxing!
In my June 8, 2019 post, IRS Scams, I told you about two scams for which the IRS gave us a warning. Well, guess what? There's another IRS-related scam and another warning. The current IRS alert is about an email scam. Here's how it works: you receive an email from a spoofed (fake) IRS email …
Cornucopia of Caution
For this post, I'm going to highlight some of the words of caution I've given customers over the last few weeks: Warning Phone Messages * Neither Apple nor Microsoft will call you on the phone to tell you that there's an issue with your computer or it's not up-to-date. They will try to convince you …
Scam Phone Number(s)
Yesterday, after we closed, we received a phone call which automatically went to voice mail. Since I was still sitting at my computer, I saw the call come in and I listened to the message. What I heard was a computer voice asking me to call their number. The message was repeated and then the …
Like A Horror Movie!
Yesterday morning, before we left for church, I went on to my computer to check something. When I opened my email, there were hundreds of email messages like the two pictured below. These emails indicated that something I had sent out was undeliverable. It all started around 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning. As I sat there, …
IRS Scams
In my post of January 31, 2019 (The Weakest Link), I pointed out that one of the three major ways scammers use Social Engineering to steal your money is by using fear as a motivator. It's the reason you always need to stop and think about what you are being told before you act. It …
SE Via Phone
In my post of January 31, 2019 - The Weakest Link In The Chain - I talked about Social Engineering (SE). While this post was aimed primarily at Social Engineering via the computer (fake pop-ups, phishing emails, etc.), I was reminded today by one of our customers that SE can occur via the phone, too. …
Windows License Key Expiring?
Lately, we've been getting an abundance of calls from customers saying that they've received a phone call telling them that their Windows license is about to expire. Let's see if we can set the record straight. Versions of the Windows Operating System (OS), if they have been activated, do not expire. Notice I stated "if …
Amex Scam Email
Just wanted to give you a warning regarding a scam email which purports to be from American Express. It includes an attachment with a .html extension. You should NOT open the attachment and you should NOT respond to the email. Simply delete it. I have already forwarded a copy to American Express. If you'd like …
Are Foreigners On Your Computer?
Those Evil Foreigners! Are there foreigners on your computer? You've heard me talk about the scam artists who will tell you anything and lie through their teeth just to sell you their worthless service. You know if you let them onto your computer, they will do whatever they can to panic you. The picture above …