One of the most prevalent types of scams is fake emails. One example of this is an email that may seem to be from a legitimate business but is used to trick you into providing personal information such as your credit card or personal account information. Another example is receiving an email from a friend or relative’s email address that includes a link used to infect your computer with Malware if clicked on.
What you can do: If you receive an email including a link or attachment that you are not expecting, do not click on the link or attachment. Contact that person directly and inform them of the email and confirm if they sent it. If an email includes a lot of grammatical or spelling errors that may indicate a spam email. Avoid providing any personal information until you verify that it is a familiar and legitimate business requesting information. You can call the company directly to verify the authenticity of the email.
Phone call scams are very dangerous for your wallet and can be used to trick people out of thousands of dollars. A perfect example is receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be from “tech support” letting you know that there is a problem with your computer. They will convince you into paying them to fix an “issue “ that does not exist and may even CAUSE issues with your computer.
What you can do: If you ever receive a call from someone claiming to be “tech support”, saying that there is an issue with your computer, end the call immediately. It is not possible for someone to be aware of any issue that may exist on your computer and therefore most likely a scam. Practice extreme caution when dealing with calls from unknown or unfamiliar numbers. Never provide personal information over the phone unless you initiated the phone call to a trusted number.
When browsing online you are almost always met with some sort of pop-up. Sometimes a pop-up will claim to detect viruses on your computer and provide a “Free Security Scan” when you click to the website. However, by clicking onto the site you are actually installing harmful malware and viruses.
What can you do: Avoid clicking on any pop-ups particularly offering any “Free Security Scans” or “Free Security Software”. Close your browser immediately if you mistakenly click on one of these pop-ups. Do not install any software from un-trusted or unfamiliar websites. Install trusted and accredited Anti-Virus and Firewall Software to keep your computer protected.
Scams are all around us and it is our job to practice caution and common sense when online and when taking calls. Should you be a victim of a scam, act immediately. Here at Duke City Solutions we have many clients who have been run into these types of scams. We have the tools to help you prevent or repair any damage that may have been caused from these scams. If you need help with scam protection and prevention, please call us at 505-433-5647.
