The worst identity theft scam you've never heard of
The holiday season is one of the busiest times for fraudsters and online scammers. Most people are rushing to buy Christmas presents, and criminals will use an online shopping scam to steal your personal and banking information.
A recent example happened during one of the biggest shopping events this year: Black Friday and Cyber Monday week. Thieves started sending out scam texts claiming to be from delivery services about packages that you ordered. Tap or click here to see what to avoid.
If you have ever been legitimately alerted to fraudulent activity on your bank account, you will know the fear and panic that it can induce. Naturally, you would want to correct the problem as soon as possible. And it is this panic that scammers are using to their advantage.
Holiday financial scams to watch for
The Better Business Bureau is warning about several financial account schemes making the rounds. There are many versions of the scam, but the end goal is the same: criminals want to get your personal information, access to your bank account, and in some cases, your Social Security number.
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Making contact through an email or phone call, potential victims will be informed that a suspicious purchase was made, either through their bank account or on their Amazon account. The bogus email will contain a link where you would be instructed to supply your personal details to reverse the charges.
Warning! Don’t click the link. It’s a scam.
The thief will try to convince you to download an unverified app to your phone. The app, of course, is malware and will send your personal information to the scammer.
Some criminals are even so brazen as to tell victims to buy several pre-paid credit or gift cards and supply them with the numbers — so that the purchases can be reversed. Obviously, it has nothing to do with your account. They want the codes to hundreds of dollars worth of Google, Apple or Amazon gift cards.
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Steps to stay safe and keep your data private
Amazon scam gets $100K from fire chief and Vietnam vet
It’s one thing to read about scams and the damage they can do to unsuspecting victims. But hearing the personal stories of scam victims in their own words is an entirely different experience altogether.
Previously, we talked about how realistic scam emails were getting as phishing campaigns continue to skyrocket during the COVID-19 pandemic. One particularly bad scam actually impersonates Amazon, a major company more people relying on today than ever before. Tap or click here to see how this scam works.
Here's how to avoid being tricked by coronavirus phishing scams
Scammers and cybercriminals are always on the hunt for new ways to deceive and harm people. The days of Nigerian Princes who need help moving money may be fading, but newer scams are cropping up each month.
Popular phishing and malware scams tend to follow global trends and current events. This isn’t a coincidence. A timely cover story is far more likely to attract victims than random scenarios. Tap or click to see how malware and scams spread after the holidays.