Posts Tagged ‘scammers’
IN THE HEADLINES: More Facebook scams surface
Posted by: Neal OFarrell in: ● December 23, 2010
I love Facebook. I just want to put that out there. I think it has changed the way individuals, families, businesses, and governments come together, connect, catch up, share, influence, and vent. But as we all know, when you create something so big and so quickly, and give hundreds of millions of people around the [...]
IN THE HEADLINES: Who Can You Trust?
Posted by: Neal OFarrell in: ● December 2, 2010
A few months ago I wrote about a fake credit union that added a new and sinister twist to the old scam of phishing. Fake credit union emails are nothing new, and credit unions have been used for years as lures to trick unwary users into handing over their passwords. As a sign of their [...]
IN THE HEADLINES: From Nigeria to North Carolina, the 419 Scam Gets Closer to Home
Posted by: Neal OFarrell in: ● November 11, 2010
It’s called the Nigerian 419 scam, because it was so successfully exploited by scammers in Nigeria the Nigerian Government was forced to include it in its penal code (#419). It’s also known as an “advance fee fraud” and the scam usually involves the victims being tricked into paying a series of fees up-front in the [...]
IN THE HEADLINES: Ransomware ups the stakes
Posted by: Neal OFarrell in: ● November 9, 2010
I have spoken before on this blog about the growing business and threat of scareware – bogus warnings that your computer has been infected with a bunch of bogus viruses, and that the only way to get rid of the pests is to pay for a copy of, you guessed it, bogus anti-virus software you’ve [...]
IN THE HEADLINES: Thieves Are Now Faking Entire Credit Unions
Posted by: Neal OFarrell in: ● October 7, 2010
In a bold new attempt to trick victims, scammers recently set up what appeared to be a legitimate credit union offering loans and other financial products to the unsuspecting public. According to numerous reports, authorities in Michigan were recently alerted to a credit union in the state operating as Whitestone Credit union. The credit union [...]
IN THE HEADLINES: Want to Steal a House? Start with an Email Address…
Posted by: Neal OFarrell in: ● September 28, 2010
In one of the most bizarre cases of fraud and identity theft, an Australian man got a very rude introduction to the world of identity theft when he discovered that a few email exchanges triggered the sale of his home from right under his nose. While the victim was traveling, he was surprised to receive [...]
IN THE HEADLINES: A Reminder That Not All Identity Theft Is High Tech
Posted by: Neal OFarrell in: ● September 3, 2010
For this Friday, here’s a little reminder from the summer that not all identity theft involves online transactions and malware… A security guard in the Washington DC area was recently charged in connection with a long running and lucrative identity theft scheme that was so simple and easy, it bordered on brilliant. And it’s used [...]
Your Identity: The Ultimate Carry-On
Posted by: ID Guardian in: ● July 26, 2010
With Summer 2010 passing the halfway point, both individuals and families turn their thoughts and attention to the big getaway. Bags are packed, travel plans are confirmed, and then it is off to destinations far and wide. For many, it will be a different part of their respective country while some embark for international adventures. [...]
IN THE HEADLINES: Fake Security Software Has Better Support Than the Real Thing!
Posted by: Neal OFarrell in: ● July 23, 2010
In an ironic twist that would be comical if it weren’t so disturbing, security experts are claiming that the peddlers of fake security software – like fake anti-virus software that warns you have a fake virus and ask you to pay a real fee to fix the problem – actually get better support from the [...]
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