Scams, scams, everywhere there’s scams…

Doesn’t it seem like there are more scams now than ever before? If you answer that question with a “no,” then you might become a victim of one, if you haven’t already. Scams are everywhere, and in different forms. Social media has been a breeding ground for scammers. It used to just be about obtaining your password. Now they are trying to steal your bank account info, credit cards, and your money. Some of the latest scams on social media include fake friend requests, fake prize giveaways, and impersonating genuine organizations. Scammers may attempt to befriend you by creating a fake account, commenting on your post or messaging you saying, “I’ve seen your posts, you are very interesting and I would like to get to know you better.” Or, “I have a personal question for you, please message me.” NEVER ACCEPT A FRIEND REQUEST FROM A STRANGER unless you can verify their identity and your connection to them. Most of the time, they use a profile picture of an attractive person, to increase their chance at successfully friending you. This gives them the best chances at scamming you!

Also, remember that scammers will steal the profile picture and name of someone you actually know, and create a duplicate account in their name. Then they send you a friend request, explaining they were “hacked” and created a new profile. This, in an effort to gain your trust, and eventually steal from you in a variety of ways.

Another recent scam is the text message scam. You may receive a text on your phone, claiming to be a government organization, or rental car agency, collecting unpaid highway tolls. Since so many people travel, rent cars or take road trips, thousands of people fall victim to this. Do not EVER respond to those text messages. Simply delete them.

Let’s not forget about the “receipt” scam. This is an e-mail based scam that appears to be from a legitimate company like Norton, or Geek Squad. Claiming you purchased a subscription to antivirus or other software. The e-mail claims to have a receipt attached. Do NOT DOWNLOAD the attachment! Just delete the message. Downloading the attachment will most certainly place a virus or malware on your computer or device.

Please share this blog with friends and family. Most of the time, it’s older people that fall victim to these scams. Protect your friends and family, and help put a stop to these scams.