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Last week a Geek Squad guy called my sister to check on the laptop they’d just repaired. She allowed him to access her computer online, but when he wanted her credit card information for additional software, she balked. Wise woman—it might have been too late. She hung up and contacted the Geek Squad directly, only to learn that this person was not their employee, though he’d done an admirable job of sounding legitimate.
LESSON: Don’t let anyone gain access to your computer that you don’t know and trust. YOU need to make the contact.
I had a similar experience a few months ago. My phone was acting up, and I got frustrated with the Verizon website (which kept trying to sell me a better phone), so I googled something like “iPhone loses Verizon calls.” My mistake was NOT checking the web address of the number I found. It should have been verizon.com or apple.com, but apparently it wasn’t. I got a very kind and clever fellow who was most helpful as he tried to fix my problem. Fortunately, just as I was ready to allow him access into my phone, I had to leave for an appointment. He called me back twice that afternoon and left messages. Hmmmm… That was a red flag. Clearly a scammer.
LESSON: Doublecheck the web site when you look up a phone number.
I’ve mentioned scamming to a number of friends, and they all have stories.
Some of them might be familiar to you:
1. The IRS calls, saying you owe a huge amount of money and they’ll be pressing charges in a few days.
LESSON: The IRS never calls you. Additionally, they’re understaffed.
2. A grandson calls saying he’s stranded somewhere after a serious car accident, needs money immediately, and can’t tell his parents.
LESSON: If a grandchild calls for help, QUIZ the caller to make sure: Mom’s name, home address, etc.
3. You get an email that you’ve won a fabulous prize from Dick’s Sports— something you’ve always wanted! There’s a shipping charge, though, and they need your credit card.
LESSON: NEVER give out your credit card, social security number, or bank account number to anyone who calls you.
4. You’re single and meet someone online, enjoy delightful online connections and phone calls. You fall in love with them after weeks of communication, then they’re suddenly caught in a financial emergency and need your help. Nope, don’t do it!
LESSON: Never send money to someone you don’t know well. It’s wise to do a google check on anyone you communicate with online.
We’re all getting these messages on our phones, through email, and online. You need to be cautious, and there are some ways to protect yourself from scammers:
-Make sure you have good anti-virus software. Hackers are getting more and more sophisticated about breaking into our computers.
-Consider using two email addresses: one for personal use and the other for shopping, newsletters, political donations, etc.
-Keep your computer software up to date.
-Double-check web addresses before clicking on links.
-Don’t open email attachments unless you know the sender and what they’re sending.
-You can report spam to the Federal Trade Commission by simply forwarding the email directly to spam@uce.gov
But mostly—USE YOUR HEAD!!!!
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