Warn the students in your family: Data leak + student loan scam
Thieves are always on the lookout for new ways to rip you off. They often send phishing emails trying to trick you into clicking malicious links that install malware onto your device or steal account credentials.
More brazen criminals will even have the courage to call you on the phone. They will spin an elaborate scheme hoping to scam you out of your money. If you fall for a scam, some steps must be taken immediately. Tap or click here for details.
In this report, we’re going to cover a couple of issues that you need to know about. First, an education technology company left its database unprotected for anyone to see its data. Next, scammers are piggybacking on student loan forgiveness to try and rip you off. Keep reading for everything you need to know.
“Careless” approach to cybersecurity
Studying for your dream career is challenging, and most students need all the help they can get. Education technology company Chegg is one such entity, providing homework assistance through an app.
When you sign up, you must answer several questions, and the data is stored on Chegg’s servers. In theory, the data should be secure, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accuses Chegg of careless behavior.
According to a legal complaint, the company issued root login credentials to multiple employees and some outside contractors. That means anyone with those credentials had an all-access pass to some of the company’s databases. It was an open door for unauthorized people.
The FTC claims that a former Chegg contractor used the details to access information on an Amazon Web Services database. The information includes the names, email addresses and passwords of about 40 million users.
According to the New York Times, details on students’ religion, sexual orientation, disabilities and parents’ income were also taken. Some of the exposed data was found for sale online. Chegg is working with the FTC on a settlement for impacted users.
Student loan scams
The next thing you must be aware of is an elaborate scheme involving the recent student loan forgiveness program. Several victims have told the Better Business Bureau (BBB) about this scheme.
Here’s how it works. You receive a phone call from someone claiming to represent the student loan forgiveness program.
Incoming! 10 Russia-Ukraine war scams hitting your email, phone and social media
The Russia-Ukraine conflict is nearly 6,000 miles from our border, but it’s likely already affecting you here at home.
You probably see a hit to your 401K and financial portfolio. As those go down, gas prices are going up. Tap or click here for simple ways to find the best gas prices in your area.
5 simple ways to protect your home this winter
Winter months can bring some serious challenges for homeowners. Icy driveways, slick walkways and frozen pipes can cause a lot of damage.
Whether you tough it out or take off to warmer climates, you want to keep your home safe over the winter months. That means you need protection from thieves while you’re away. Protect your home with the security system that protects Kim’s family, SimpliSafe. Visit SimpliSafeKim.com today to save 40% on a home security system and get your first month free when you sign up for Interactive Monitoring.
Another phony IRS email is making the rounds - DO NOT click it
It’s a shame that thieves are taking advantage of the pandemic. Countless scams related to vaccines, vaccination cards, economic relief, employment and the COVID virus itself have surfaced.
One scam making the rounds involves a text message informing recipients that their unemployment benefits are expiring. The message includes a link to a fake state workforce agency site that requests personal information. Tap or click here for details on this scheme.
Own a video doorbell? Watch out for thieves
Video doorbells are supposed to be the future of home security. They allow us to see what’s going on outside our front door, whether we’re at home or far away.
Thieves are supposed to see this kind of security system and be deterred. But what happens when criminals get a little too bold with your tech?
Amazon scams are running rampant - Red flags to spot the biggest one
No business is perfect, and there might be times where they need to contact you regarding a problem with your account. This is especially true for package delivery and courier companies. Often, when a package can’t be dropped off or require additional details, they will attempt to make contact.
Complete guide to robocalls: How to stop them once and for all
Robocalls are the most annoying modern tech drawback found on phones. In fact, when my team publishes an article on Komando.com about stopping robocalls, we know it’ll be one of our most-read articles of the week.
It’s not hard to see why. Robocalls interrupt us constantly, fool us into answering with numbers that look a little too familiar, and scam Americans out of millions of dollars every year.
SCAM: Thieves have a smart new tactic to steal your coronavirus payment
Check your bank account and you may see a $1,200 payout, or even more, pending from the federal government.
The IRS has already begun sending coronavirus “economic impact payments,” and the money is sorely needed as millions of Americans are out of work or not making enough cash to pay their bills. Tap or click to see how you can get help with your internet bill if you can’t pay right now.