Holiday scammers pose as Verizon and Amazon
You might be busier than normal because of the holiday season, but don't let your guard down. Scammers are counting on you to click before you think.
We all know the holidays are a peak time for the folks at Amazon. Orders are being shipped at break-neck speed. So scammers are blasting inboxes with an email saying, "Your order has been shipped!" The confirmation looks as if your credit card has been used for something you didn't order. Click the link and the scammers will try to get at your private information, or worse -- infect your computer with a virus.
Amazon is on to the scam. An alert on the company website gives instructions on what to do if you get an unexpected email claiming to be from Amazon. Do not open any attachments. Do not click on any links. Amazon wants you to forward the email to stop-spoofing@amazon.com.
Verizon Wireless says be on the lookout for email alerts about updating your Verizon account. The alert is not from Verizon, but the attachment is very convincing. Even Verizon says some of the spoofed sites, also known as phishing, are spot on copies of the company's actual website -- until you look closely. The contest date in the fine print at the bottom of the latest scam email expired more than a year ago!
The scammers are just after your account number and password.
Verizon Wireless spokesman Scott Charlston says Verizon would never contact you with an email like that. No company would.
"Even the best of us can be fooled by these elaborate tricks. People need to be skeptical of all requests for personal information through email," said Charlston.
And keep an eye out for text messages on your cell phone from unidentified senders. Many of the scam texts say they're from a bank and ask you to call a number. But remember, banks and other companies will never text you out of the blue and ask you to call them. They never contact you for account information. The latest text hitting phones this week is a dead giveaway, because it's from Washington Mutual Bank, which no longer exists.
But I discovered a slick twist when I dialed the phone number provided in the text.
It's a recorded message:
"This is a message from the Federal Trade Commission. The telephone number you've just called has been disconnected because it may be involved in a scam."
The message goes on to warn about bogus messages through text, email, and voice mail and explains what you should do if you're concerned about your accounts. The FTC also encourages consumers to learn more about phishing traps and how protect yourself, through a special website called OnGuard Online.
More information about how to avoid or respond to identity theft is available here.
We all know the holidays are a peak time for the folks at Amazon. Orders are being shipped at break-neck speed. So scammers are blasting inboxes with an email saying, "Your order has been shipped!" The confirmation looks as if your credit card has been used for something you didn't order. Click the link and the scammers will try to get at your private information, or worse -- infect your computer with a virus.
Amazon is on to the scam. An alert on the company website gives instructions on what to do if you get an unexpected email claiming to be from Amazon. Do not open any attachments. Do not click on any links. Amazon wants you to forward the email to stop-spoofing@amazon.com.
Verizon Wireless says be on the lookout for email alerts about updating your Verizon account. The alert is not from Verizon, but the attachment is very convincing. Even Verizon says some of the spoofed sites, also known as phishing, are spot on copies of the company's actual website -- until you look closely. The contest date in the fine print at the bottom of the latest scam email expired more than a year ago!
The scammers are just after your account number and password.
Verizon Wireless spokesman Scott Charlston says Verizon would never contact you with an email like that. No company would.
"Even the best of us can be fooled by these elaborate tricks. People need to be skeptical of all requests for personal information through email," said Charlston.
And keep an eye out for text messages on your cell phone from unidentified senders. Many of the scam texts say they're from a bank and ask you to call a number. But remember, banks and other companies will never text you out of the blue and ask you to call them. They never contact you for account information. The latest text hitting phones this week is a dead giveaway, because it's from Washington Mutual Bank, which no longer exists.
But I discovered a slick twist when I dialed the phone number provided in the text.
It's a recorded message:
"This is a message from the Federal Trade Commission. The telephone number you've just called has been disconnected because it may be involved in a scam."
The message goes on to warn about bogus messages through text, email, and voice mail and explains what you should do if you're concerned about your accounts. The FTC also encourages consumers to learn more about phishing traps and how protect yourself, through a special website called OnGuard Online.
More information about how to avoid or respond to identity theft is available here.
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