CyberSafeSeniors: Recent Episodes
Robin
AI scams are becoming more frequent, and they’re also becoming more sophisticated. In a recent scam, cybercriminals demonstrated just how convincing AI fraud can be by faking an entire video call.
So Listen carefully….The cybercriminals start by impersonating law enforcement officers. They contact you, claiming that your bank account may have been involved in financial fraud.
In this digital age, communication has never been easier, thanks to ChatGPT. However, as with every good thing, there are always a few downsides. Cybersecurity threats are lurking in the shadows of ChatGPT, and they're just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
When a natural disaster strikes, many people rely on insurance providers for disaster relief to help them pay for damages to their property. Unfortunately, cybercriminals can take advantage of this vulnerable situation by manipulating you into sharing your sensitive information.
In this recent scam, cybercriminals call you on the phone and pretend to be an agent from your insurance provider.
Organizations often use email to send important information to their customers. If an organization sends out an email that’s missing some important information, they may actually send you a follow-up email. Just to make sure that you are receiving the important information.
Cybercriminals are using a technique called “clone phishing” to imitate these follow-up emails and manipulate you.
Search engine optimization abbreviated SEO, is an excellent way for legitimate websites to rank higher in search results and appear in your searches. Unfortunately, cybercriminals can also use this technique - so beware!
Recently in the United States, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) has warned of an increase in cyber attacks targeting credit unions. Cybercriminals send fake emails that appear to be from your credit union.
Next time you receive an email with a link to your Facebook account, remember that this could be part of the new scam. Cybercriminals are using compromised accounts and fake login pages in order to gain access for themselves or trick people into giving away personal information like your passwords, which they can use when ever they want to.
Wow.. technology can be hard when you get older…your fingers don’t work the way that they used to so that a mouse may be difficult to operate , the operating systems keep changing and every thing looks different .. The type face sometimes seems smaller, or maybe its just aging eyes…
Voice Recognition is here to help.
Millions of puzzle fans are enjoying a new, free online, web based word game called wordle. As of this date there are over 3 million users and the fan base is growing…and so are the cyberthreats.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact supply chains for countless industries around the world. And the clever cybercriminals have found that using wide-reaching problems like shipping delays to their advantage. In this scam, the cybercriminals use the possibility of a delayed or missed shipment as phish bait.
Stress is a major problem during these very challenging times and yes, you guessed it….Cybercriminals are taking advantage of people's stress to get them excited about CBD products.
Have you ever noticed that your computer is slowing down, having problems starting , are you missing files......???
These are all signs of computer viruses.
The hackers are continuously creating smarter and more advanced viruses, but there a ways that you can protect yourself.
Sorry to say, but 2021 has not ushered in new “tips to bypass FB” and it does NOT limit posts on your news feed.
Neither has Facebook started using a new algorithm that “chooses the same few people – the meme says..about 25 – who will read your posts”,.
This is HOAX!
Let’s be honest, the age of social distancing can leave us feeling pretty lonely.
And to make matters worse, the scammers are leveraging our loneliness for their scams. Romance-related scams are growing more popular everyday and becoming more complex.
It’s no secret that cybercriminals love social media. And the Bad guys use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to impersonate your real friends and followers. Using this disguise, the scammers will try to trick you into sharing sensitive information.
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With stay-at-home orders in place across the globe, many of you are buying new pets to help you feel more connected. Unfortunately, shoppers who are looking for a furry friend may be in for a big surprise. Cybercriminals are creating phony online pet shops that advertise unbelievable prices on purebred pups.
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As we all try to navigate life during this stressful pandemic, many of us are struggling financially. In a truly malicious response to the situation, scammers are launching phishing attacks that claim to offer financial assistance to those in need.
Don't be duped!
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Since the pandemic began, the FTC has received more than 20,000 complaints of text messages and robocalls offering testing kits, bogus treatment and pandemic-related aid. Don't get duped!!
The best way to vaccinate yourself against scam preditators ……. is to stay informed.
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Has this ever happened to you? You’re browsing online when a pop-up ad appears on your screen warning you that your computer is infected with dozens of viruses. The ad conveniently says that you can remove all of these viruses by buying antivirus software that will immediately eliminate them.
If you’ve seen this, you’ve been hit with a scareware attack.
Evil scammers are using these stimulus payments to try to rip you off. They are hoping that you will be anxious enough about receiving your stimulus money quickly that you will take the bait before looking closely at the details. Trust Your Instincts!
If something feels not quite right, or too good to be true, it might well be a SCAM.
The White House and our lawmakers have announced plans to send Americans $1,000 checks to help offset the effects of coronavirus.
The one thing to remember is that Scammers will always follow the money, and that this is just one of many scams that will follow the coronavirus pandemic.
Our technology is more important than ever for researching important information, keeping us entertained and keeping in touch with your loved ones and friends.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is already warning consumers to beware of scammers looking to get their hands on your cash.
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The Covid19 virus has created an environment where new CyberAttacks are being launched daily.
Think before you Click, Check your website Urls, Create Strong Unique Passwords for all of your I.O.T. devices.
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According to the memo issued a few days ago the 2020 Census field operations will be suspended for at least two weeks until April 1, 2020. This means if someone knocks at your door claiming to be from the U.S. Census Bureau, it is a scam and do not give them any information.
With any large political event or happening, scammers are ready to try to take your money and steal your identity.
The official US Census website is: https://www.census.gov
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Remember those old snake oils sales people? Unfortunately, the snake oils salesman have become sophisticated scammers and swear by the old axiom that “there’s a sucker born every minute”
To date No vaccines, drugs or investigational products have been approved specifically to treat or prevent COVID-19.
In times of crisis the scammers ramp up their attacks. Use your well-honed critical thinking skills to determine the truth.
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Deepfakes refer to any manipulated digital content produced by sophisticated artificial intelligence programs, that produce fabricated images and sounds that appear to be real. In fact, anybody who has a computer and access to the internet can technically produce deepfake content.
Don't be Tricked.
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In the first week of February people around the globe visited more than 10,000 domains containing the word "Valentine."
This is the time of year that cyber criminals like to play Cupid, and you might be the object of their affections.
Cyber criminals use the word "Valentine" and "Chocolate" in the month of February to lure unsuspecting romantics to malicious websites.
It's the perfect cover. They can camouflage their dirty tricks, such as getting you to download malware, by hiding out among the many legitimate Valentine's Day websites.
Everyone wants to find that perfect love and baby-boomers and seniors are a very romantic group.
But...according to the Federal trade commission people reported losing $143 million dollars to romance scams last year.
This is technically called “The Sweetheart Scam” and it is one of the most widely used scams used get you money.
Valentines day is a day to celebrate you but is also is a day to keep yourself safe as you find your perfect person to LOVE
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On Thursday, as coronavirus infections spread, the World Health Organization classified the outbreak as a global emergency.
And you guessed it..the scammers are already tasking advantage of this awful situation.
We are seeing is a new malicious phishing campaign that is based on the fear of the Coronavirus, and I am sure that it will be the first of many.
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Do you remember what a Smishing Scam is? This is a smishing scam that tries to get you to complete a survey, enter your credit card information and then mails you an unauthorized $98.95 gift very month. A gift that I am sure you did not expect. YIKES!
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Some things in life are actually free, regardless of what scammers try to tell you. Scammers are trying to get you to pay an activation fee and a reoccuring monthly subscription fee.
Roku set-up is totally free with the purchase of the device, and there is no monthly subscription fee. .
This is a gift that keeps on giving
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As children get older everyone dreads the question.....Is there really a Santa Claus? And thanks to modern technology parents and grandparents can prove that Santa is real, for a little bit longer. And you guessed it, there are fake Santa applications and sites to try to ruin Christmas and steal your identity .
So keep the magic alive as long as you can …Children and Christmas are so special.
Be Senior Smart.
If you are like me, I order many of my gifts online and – sometimes, I actually forget what I have even ordered.
This year…The Cyber Grinch’s are trying to trick you with Fake shipping notifications.
Stop and think before You Click
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I just received an ecard...but is this safe to open? Did my friend really send this to me or is this one of those e-mail scams?”
Lets take back Holidays from the Grinches
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A devious new scam is sweeping Facebook. Scammers are taking advantage of crowdfunding sites like kickstarter and Indiegogo, and stealing the photos, and videos, and posting them on Facebook ads as their own products.
I got scammed and I want to make sure that you don’t!
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75% of Americans plan to do at least half of their holiday shopping online this year...Cyber Monday is one of the busiest on-line shopping days in the year and the bad guys are planning to get rich with your money. They go into scam-overdrive mode.
Do not let the bad guys exploit your holiday spirit and use it against you. Remember to stay alert when you shop online! Think Before You Click!
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Nasty problems can result from acquiring an HTD…..oh what is an HTD ? It is what I call a Hacker Transmitted Disorder.
Hacker transmitted disorders can just be annoying and others can be catastrophic.
Good clean Cybersecurity hygiene will help you to stay safe and HTD free.
Here are six ways that you can acquire an HTD.
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Did you know that charging your cell phone could be dangerous to its health and your security?
USB chargers can be turned into potential hacking devices and are able to access your personal information on your phone.
A phone with an HTD, hacker transmitted disorder, is a phone with a major problem that can potentially contaminate all of your lovers and friends.
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Two-factor authentication has been around for a long time…it's nothing new. It is a security technique that verifies your identity when you log into a website by requiring you to both know something and have something. This extra layer of security is designed to ensure that you're the only person who can access your account, even if someone knows your password.
This year's Halloween is filled with spooky decorations, cool costumes, and lots of trick or treating – but cybercriminals are well aware of the celebration, and very excited to trick you. Here are 5 tips to help keep you safe so that you can have fun and enjoy the holiday .
As the tricksters get tricker...we can get smarter!
The Food delivery service DoorDash just confirmed that they have had a data breach affecting 4.9 million customers and merchants that took place on May 4th, 2019. Sometimes it takes months for breaches to be reported.
If you ordered food to be delivered by DoorDash on or BEFORE April 5, 2018 you definitely need to change your account password and watch for any unauthorized changes to your credit cards.
As the Hackers get tricker…we can get smarter!
We all know what WI-Fi is but how is your information protected and what do all those wireless settings mean when you go to set up your router? and by the way…..what is a router?
In today’s world, Wi-Fi or wireless networking is significantly important for keeping people connected to the Internet. However, Wi-Fi is highly vulnerable to hacking. Encryption is there to help.
The FBI is warning the public about a nationwide scam involving perpetrators, who are impersonating FBI Agents.
In targeting unsuspecting victims, the fraudulent caller uses technology to "spoof" the phone number from an actual FBI field office, so you believe that the call is coming from federal law enforcement.
As the scammers get trickier we get can smarter….
Hacking is a very specific term in cybersecurity. It is much more likely that Your facebook account was replicated or compromised.
If you notice (or get notified about) changes to your account that you didn’t make, it’s time to do something.
As we already know scammers are tricky. What usually happens in this scam….is that the bad guys will call you to check on the quality of your service….. After confirming that everything is great….they will let you know that you been approved for a discount or upgrade. All you have to do is pay a few months in advance on a prepaid card.
This is a scam!!!!
As the scammers get trickier we get can smarter
This is a blast from the past.
This scam made its first appearance back in 2002 and resurfaced again 2013….and the scammers are counting on our ability to forget…
Wangiri means one ring and cut and that is exactly what happens. The scammer places a robocall to your number and hangs up after one or two rings. The idea is to peek your curiosity and get you to call the number back. Resist the urge to call back. Restrain your curiosity.
Can you stop your phone from leaking personal data about you? The answer appears to be no. Mobile phones are amazing…they allow us access to friends, relatives, grandchildren and a host of online activities designed to exercise our brains and keep us current.
You can’t eliminate all the personal data your phone collects and shares about you. But you can limit it.
This is what’s called a Major data breech. The popular mobile word game “Words with Friends” was hacked, stealing personal information including names, email addresses, login IDs, passwords, phone numbers and Facebook IDs of 218 million players of the game. While no credit or debit card information was stolen, personal data was compromised.
This personal information can easily be used for purposes of spear phishing and identity theft
This is a Phishing Scam that pretends to be an “Unusual sign-in activity” alert from Microsoft. Now remember I said pretends…"Think Before You Click" Be Senior Smart!
Hackers are targeting Amazon customers, urgently claiming you need to update your information within twenty-four hours or your account will be permanently disabled. They are counting on you getting worried and quickly acting without thinking it through.
It's a SCAM!!!!!!
Always…..”Think Before You Click."
The vocabulary of cybersecurity is complex. As seniors and baby boomers sometimes we don’t speak the same language as the awesome geeks who try to help us. These are the top 16 most important cybersecurity terms that I think you need to know. Oh and please free to use these to impress your children grandchildren, friends and relatives..… but they already know that your are awesome.
I’m sitting on a beach, listening to the water lap on the shore, the sun is shining and the birds are chirping.. and I am listening to the sounds of silence by Simon and Garfunkel…or am I?
Virtual and Augmented Reality are two amazing and popular technologies. Although most people have heard of them, the differences between them are sometimes not clear. So I am here to help
Ransomeware is a real problem. It is a tiny piece of computer software that is designed to disable your computer and deny you access to all of the contents……. until you pay the bad guys. This tiny computer program is used to extort victims into paying a ransom fee. Think before You Click.
Content for this podcast was contributed by Steve Arcand masters candidate in Cybersecurity Management at Bay Path University.
Remember the 1954 four aces song three coins in a fountain…In this digital age the new title might 3 bitcoins in your virtual wallet, definitely not a very catchy title for a tune..Cryptocurrency is virtual money which is designed to pay for goods and services online. As the world becomes more interconnected and more concerned about authorities who may or may not have people’s best interests in mind, cryptocurrencies may offer a valuable alternative.
Most people don’t associate sexting with seniors, but the truth is that senior sexting is more common than you think. Some believe that Sexting is a way to bring out your flirtatious side. Who said the you can't flirt if you're over 50? Flirting is fun but but the internet is a dangerous place.
Seniors and Baby boomers lose close to $3 billion annually from Scammers. IRS impersonations, lottery scams, family member impersonations or social security scams are increasing in numbers….and becoming more sophisticated each day.. As more and more Seniors opt into having cell phones, it means they are becoming more connected to loved ones- but more exposed to these crafty predators.
Content for this Podcast was contributed by Jennifer Pettit a masters degree candidate in Information Management at Bay Path University.
You own your face, right, — the one on top your neck — but your digital images are different. You may have given up your right to ownership when you signed up on a social media network or walked into an airport or shopping center. Facial recognition is a type of biometric technology that verifies your identity. And it is designed to be a more secure way of accessing your phone as well as other applications and places.
Content for this podcast was contributed by Lindsay Cunningham masters candidate in Information Management at BayPath University.
Smart medical devices hold the unlimited potential to save our lives and improve our general well being, but they also present a host of untold threats that have yet to be fully exploited.
As the health care industry adapts to the digital age, there are a number of concerns around privacy, safety and cyber security threats.
Safeguarding health systems and patient wellbeing depends upon it.
Everyone wants to be loved and appreciated and the Internet makes it much easier to meet find people that might be “the one”.
Social media platforms and online dating websites allow you to make connections with others from far away.
This is great but as convenient as these romantic dating sites are also come scams and frauds.
Now you have to worry about being catfished.
Like anything in life, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Newsflash: you can like, share, and comment all that you want, but you won't be winning anything because this is a SCAM.
Don't fall for scams because they use counterfeit Facebook accounts to falsely associate themselves with celebrities.
Facebook makes it easy for you to tell if it's a "verified" account - look for the little blue circle with a check in it. That means Facebook has taken the time to confirm this account is owned by the person that it says it is. Plus, it's followed by MILLIONS of people
Last week the Internal Revenue Service warned the public about a new twist on the IRS impersonation phone scam…… criminals fake calls from something called the Taxpayer Advocate Service which is a legitimate independent organization within the IRS.
The IRS is old fashioned
If they need to get in touch with you, they will send you a letter— not an email, not a phone call, not a text and definitely not a message over social media.
From the holidays until to the end of the tax season on April 15, scammers will try to steal your personal information. The scammer claims they are calling from the Internal Revenue Service. In most cases the scammer knows a lot of information about you already – your name, address, and any data that they can find on the internet.
The IRS does not use email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issues.
If you receive one of these calls, hang up
It is very easy to get so comfortable online that you forget it’s still a public place. Social engineering is the act of tricking someone into divulging information or taking an action that leads to stealing important information or money.Here’s what you need to know about keeping private information safe while socializing online.
Whether you are buying clothes, managing your bank accounts or just connecting with old friends, most of us depend on websites. Unfortunately, it's easy be fooled by fake websites that are designed to hand over your private information or money to criminals.
The good news is that, it's now easier to know when a website is secure.
I am a hopeless romantic and Valentine’s Day is a day of love and romance for most of us but that doesn’t mean that the cybercriminals have taken the day off.
Cybercriminals are known to hide behind a false identities that will help make them seem more lovable and approachable. This tactic is called, “catfishing”
Remember, Valentine’s Day is about being close to those you care about. Not sharing your personal or financial information with a cybercriminal sitting in his mom’s basement.
When you are talking to Siri , Alexa or Google …you are talking to an artificial intelligence agent. And this AI is learning your personal preferences. The more you use the device the more it learns and the more accurately it can anticipate your every need.
Artificial Intelligence is not a magical program that can think like a human.
Simply, AI’s goal is to make computers or computer programs smart enough to imitate the behavior of the human mind.
Our connected cars enable all sorts of conveniences — we can get news, entertainment, weather, texts and email...
The downside: Connected cars are incredibly easy to hack.
Connected cars will change life as we know it, and ignoring connected-car cybersecurity puts not only your private data at risk but also your life.
Did one of your friends or some amazing celebrity send you a friend request on Facebook? You search your memory but can't remember the person who wants to add you as a friend or you are already friends with the person. Are these requests Real or is this a fake friend request?
Just Say No!
It starts with a frantic phone call from a grandchild.
I’m in trouble. I need your help. I need money fast. I love you. Please don’t tell anyone.
It all seems so real … but is it?
Cybersecurity threats are estimated to reach a whopping $6 trillion by 2021.
As a baby boomer it’s more important than ever to develop a plan of attack to combat these threats. Seniors are increasingly becoming a target of sophisticated cyber attacks.
Here are five things that you can do to help prevent cyber security problems in 2019.
Online links to Government Agencies are a convenient way to get information and file forms. However, unless you are careful you may become a victim of FRAUD. Here are a few tips to help you safely navigate Medicare, Social Security & the IRS websites.
Now is the time to protect yourself from scammers, that will ruin your holidays. Here are 12 of the most popular scams and how to protect yourself. Don't let the Grinches win!
Credit card scammers are getting smarter — they use all sorts of tricks, from phony phone calls and emails to credit card skimmers and Wi-Fi hotspots— to obtain your personal information.
CNBC recently reported that older Americans lose at least $36.5 billion every year on fraud.
Fake news is nothing new. But bogus stories can reach more people more quickly via social media than what good old-fashioned viral emails could accomplish in years past. Here are 6 Tips to help you decide Fake or Not!
If your television is connected to the Internet, then by definition it’s ‘Smart’. It’s also vulnerable to hacking, as is everything else that’s part of the growing mass of connected objects that makes up the Internet of Things (IoT). Here is what you can do to help protect yourself.
Do you have a smart phone? The large amount of data that you store on your personal devices makes you vulnerable to cyber criminals who are always prepared to steal you online identity or empty your bank accounts
Spear-Phishingis a targeted form of phishing in which fraudulent emails target specific organizations in an effort to gain access to confidential information. Don't Take the Bait. Be Senior Smart.
Everyone who used the Internet has a Digital Footprint. What can You do to protect Your Reputation?