Scams Aren’t Always Obvious

Not a day goes by that I don’t get emails or text messages that are obvious scams. Every day, more and more people are being targeted for fraud, and unfortunately, many don’t know the warning signs to avoid being cheated.

The one I’ve been getting a lot lately is a text offering a work-from-home job making a generous salary and working “10-12 hours a week.” If interested, I’m asked to call a WhatsApp number. The scam is riddled with red flags. The obvious warnings include a high salary, minimal hours, and the biggest red flag, the WhatsApp contact information.

Many people will call the number and be convinced to give their personal information. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that cyber criminals and online scammers cheated us out of over sixty billion dollars in 2024, a number that is expected to grow.

Do not reuse passwords across multiple accounts. I’m guilty of this and am slowly in the process of changing passwords for my more than fifty accounts. It’s taking a long time, but it's worth the peace of mind. Multi-factor authentication is also something I’ve been signing up for to lower the risk.

Do not answer calls, text messages, or friend requests from people you don’t know. If it doesn’t look familiar, then don’t respond. You shouldn’t feel bad that you may hurt somebody’s feelings by not responding.

Don’t take quizzes on social media. I know it’s tempting to find out which Disney character you resemble most, but it’s not worth having your phone hacked.

Keep in mind that scams can happen to anyone, regardless of age or tech savviness. In a post I shared last year, I mentioned how one of our internet security professionals was scammed and convinced to share a lot of their personal banking information. It can happen to anyone.

My bank often sends warning emails about what not to do and what to look out for. Recently, they shared a few that aren’t often seen or talked about.

For instance, emails scams fraudulently impersonating toll companies claiming you have an unpaid toll. The email has a link to pay the toll. Not only are you losing money by paying the fake fine, you’re also giving the scammers your credit card or bank account information.

Others include a fake investment offer or large purchase items like cars or real estate that don’t exist. I see these regularly on social media apps.

One thing that isn’t new and is still true is the old saying, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Click wisely!