One of the things I don’t like about modern life is that we’re always having to be on guard for scams. Scammers have been around forever, but in the era of the internet and free long-distance calling, they’re increasingly common. Every day, I get approached by a scammer via email, text or by phone. Many of these get trapped by my email spam filter, but others arrive via annoying texts and calls that, at the very least, waste my time.
For the most part, I can handle these attempts, but it’s not just me. Everyone I’ve asked tells me they are inundated with attempted scams on nearly a daily basis by phone, text, email and social media. If you think you’re not among this group, check your spam folder. If you have good filters, you may not see the deluge of attempted scams, but I’m pretty sure you’re a target, albeit hopefully not a victim. And they’re not just aimed at adults. Children and teens get them too. No one, especially children, should have to constantly be on guard against people trying to steal money, information or their innocence.
I’ve made mistakes
When it comes to cybersecurity, I consider myself pretty savvy. But even though I’ve never been successfully scammed, I have come close a couple of times and, despite what I know, have been tricked into making mistakes. It happened just this week when I got a call from a toll-free number. I answer these calls because they are sometimes from businesses I deal with or radio or TV stations that interview me. When I picked up, the caller said, “Is this Larry Magid.” I should have said “what can I do for you,” but instead I said “Yes.” And then he hung up. I don’t know if that will wind up making me a target, but scammers sometimes record that “yes” and then use it as part of a financial scam where they use your voice to verify you. It was a dumb mistake, and as a result, I’m going to be extra careful about checking all of my transactions.
Another mistake I once made was when I thought I was calling a “tech support” number. When I searched for HP Printer Support, I got a very realistic looking page with a phone number that led me to a scammer. I should have noticed that the web address didn’t end in HP.com. Now I always check and never give out any information on a site that I’m not certain belongs to the company or agency I’m trying to deal with. In this case, they asked me to install software so they could access my computer and “fix” my printer, but I knew that you can’t fix a paper jam with software, so the “jig was up,” as the idiom goes.
Other common scams
You may have gotten a call from “Microsoft” or perhaps a computer security company informing you that your device is infected and offering a fix, which sometimes involves them asking you to give them access to your device or hand over a credit card number to pay for their service. These are always scams. Legitimate companies do not call or send you email if your device is infected.
I’ve received a number of messages claiming that I have a package waiting for me and asking me to confirm my address. Some ask for a small delivery fee. If you get a message that looks like it’s from FedEx, UPS, USPS or another delivery service, reach out directly to that service or its actual website rather than clicking on any links.
A common recent scam is a text message claiming you have unpaid tolls and that if you don’t pay up, you’ll be fined or face additional fees. If you think you have unpaid tolls, check with the tolling authority but don’t respond to any messages.
And who hasn’t gotten a message claiming your account is locked or has suspicious activity with a link to resolve the issue or a claim that you owe back taxes. If the IRS wants to get hold of you, they’ll send a letter through the mail. They won’t use email or text messages, and you can’t pay your taxes via gift cards or cryptocurrency.
I got an email this week with a “receipt” for a large payment to a well-known company that I don’t do business with. There was a phone number to call for customer service, I’m sure to lure people into calling and then trick them to turn over information or pay money. But that email was from a Gmail account, not the company that I supposedly just paid money to. Even if the mail has what appears to be a legitimate address, you should still avoid clicking on links, because it’s easy to fake a return address.
The FBI has a scam and safety webpage dedicated to common scams, including investment scams where you’re asked to invest upfront money for a larger return later. You may get a call, text or email telling you you won a prize but have to pay a small fee to access it.
The FBI is particularly concerned about seniors who “are often targeted because they tend to be trusting and polite. They also usually have financial savings, own a home, and have good credit” and “may be less inclined to report fraud because they don’t know how, or they may be too ashamed at having been scammed” or that “relatives will lose confidence in their abilities to manage their own financial affairs.” Many years ago, my late mother, who was suffering from dementia, paid a “$500 tax” on a car she “won.” She was extremely smart and savvy person during most of her life but became vulnerable in her later years.
Romance scams go after all age groups, from pre-teens to seniors. I’m a big fan of loving relationships, but not “catfishing” when the person isn’t who they say they are.
Anyone can be a victim, but teenage and pre-teen boys are particularly vulnerable to sextortion scams where they are encouraged to share intimate photos or videos, sometimes in exchange for receiving them from the scammer who uses pictures of attractive people and tricks you into thinking it’s them. Once they get a victim’s image or video, they threaten to share it with family, friends, schools or employers unless you pay them. But even if you do pay, they may keep coming back for more money. Authorities advise not to send money or additional images. If you don’t pay, they often just move on to other victims. And even if they do share the image, it’s not the end of the world. Most people will understand. ConnectSafely has more about this scam at connectsafely.org/sextortion.
Whatever the scam is, your best defense is to pause before clicking or responding to anything out of the ordinary. It’s also important to have strong and unique passwords, two-factor authentication and avoid clicking on links unless you’re 100% certain they’re from legitimate sources.
You’ll find more advice at ConnectSafely.org/security.
Larry Magid is a tech journalist and internet safety activist. Contact him at larry@larrymagid.com.