#Middlebury #Seniors
Most scams keep repeating year after year. After all, the scammers are making big money doing those Nigerian grandson/auto-warranty scams, so why would they drop them?
Despite this, new ones keep popping up. Here are a few.
If you shop online, beware of accidentally typing in the wrong name. Scammers have created websites with actual information from real store websites, but with a slightly different name. If you shop at a fake store and put in your credit card, the scammers will have immediate access to it.
If you learned how to do Zoom or other online conferences to talk to your family, beware any emails or messages you get about your Zoom. Scammers have set up thousands of Zoom-related internet links for the sole purpose of getting you to click on one they send you. The instant you do, malware (malicious software) is loaded into your computer. From that point all your personal data is at risk. Ignore those emails or messages. If there’s a problem with your Zoom, go straight to the Zoom site and check it from there.
In a sign of the times, there are fake COVID contact tracers that ask for personal information and Social Security numbers. Hang up if they call you.
A big problem is that often we don’t report the scams. We’re embarrassed, or we’re afraid the scammers will retaliate, or we just don’t know where to report it. If nothing else, you can call the police. If the scam happened on the Internet, contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov). The center has logged over 6 million complaint calls – a big portion from those over age 60.
Scammers are everywhere, and it’s up to us to stop them in their tracks by being wary of phone calls, emails and the internet.
© 2021 King Features Synd. Inc.
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