As technology continues to improve, so do criminals’ tactics to scam people out of their hard-earned money. With some help from the AARP, we’ve detailed three emerging scams to be aware of.
What it is: Scammers use dating apps, messaging apps, social media and other communications to build relationships and trust with their targets, then share their “expertise” on investments, frequently promising large returns and little risk. Criminals often show victims fake profit reports, but when investors try to withdraw funds they’re frequently charged fees with no further information. The bogus companies then typically vanish before investors receive their money.
How to stay safe: If you’re interested in crypto but lack experience, talk with a financial advisor and watch for impostor sites that mimic actual companies. To confirm that a company is legit, make sure it’s registered with the Commodities Futures Trading Commission and the National Futures Association.
What it is: This scam frequently starts with a pop-up message, often with a logo from recognizable companies like Apple or Microsoft, saying your computer has a virus. Users are instructed to click a link or call a supposed support number, allowing the scammers remote access to the computer. The criminals can then access all the information on your machine and install malware.
How to stay safe: Legitimate tech companies won’t call, email, or text about problems with your computer, and their pop-ups will never ask you to make a call or click a link. If a tech support person calls you unexpectedly, it’s almost surely a scam. Hang up even if the number looks real. Never click on a pop-up, never give remote access to someone who calls you out of the blue, and never share your password. If you do share your password, be sure to change it immediately.
What it is: The Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Scam Tracker has received an uptick in reports from consumers whose credit cards are declined while making an online purchase. Typically, they try using a different card, but that one fails, too. Despite the card-declined notices, the charges have occurred for each transaction and are often for more than the original purchase amount.
How to stay safe: If you’re unfamiliar with a company always research it before making a purchase, and make sure a website is genuine. Scammers are known to build lookalike sites so double check the URL (for example, sometimes a letter or two might be different).
Recent warnings from the FBI highlight a significant cybersecurity threat to mobile phone users. The vulnerability exists due to the lack of end-to-end encryption for cross-platform messaging between iPhones and Androids, which is not secure compared to text messaging from Android to Android, or iPhone to iPhone. The ongoing threat has compromised multiple networks, like Verizon and AT&T, leading to stolen data of calls and texts.
While the FBI works to confront the threat, they recommend mobile phone users consider using fully encrypted platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and the newly end-to-end encrypted version of Meta's Messenger, especially for sensitive communications. You can find more information on this threat and how to stay safe here.
