Terry Ambrose

Writing is like a good barbecue sauce, if it ain't bold, it ain't worth doing.

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Scams & Cons

Apple vs. Facebook — the media war and what you need to know

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Apple vs Facebook media war

What’s with this media war pitting Apple vs Facebook?

Have you ever felt as though your phone is stalking you? Visit a website for cookware and suddenly cookware ads are popping up everywhere—in your apps, on the web—everywhere. Welcome to the world of targeted ads, also known as personalized ads. And it is, in some senses, a creepy world to visit.

A small code on your phone makes targeted ads possible. In recent years, companies such as Facebook have used that code to track your every move on your phone. When Apple announced it would give users the option to restrict usage of this tracking code, Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg must have had visions of users gleefully hitting the ‘do not track me’ option and decimating the company’s advertising revenues. As a result, Facebook declared a media war on Apple and claims IOS 14.5 will wreak havoc on small businesses by making it harder for them to compete.

Follow the money

Let’s begin by putting reasons for the Apple vs Facebook media war into perspective. In 2020, Apple had the largest market capitalization of any company in the world. Not far behind was Facebook, who ranked number seven. That’s right, we’re talking about two of the largest companies on the planet. Apple’s market value is more than $2 trillion dollars, while Facebook is worth a mere $860 billion.  

Apple’s revenues in 2020 were about $270 billion. Those revenues came from the sale of products and services. Facebook’s revenues were a mere $86 billion and largely came from advertising. Obviously, Facebook has the most to lose in this battle. In a mystery, we would call that motive.

What’s behind the story of Apple vs Facebook?

Over the years, Apple has shown a commitment to consumer privacy. To be fair, the company may also have a small profit motive if their decision can cause more apps to turn to subscriptions in the App Store. It’s a stretch, but it is possible.

Contrast Apple’s history against a company whose purpose has been to encourage people to share everything going on in their lives—and whose track record at keeping user data safe is weak. With Facebook, everyone can restrict what information of theirs they display on their timeline, but this free and willful sharing of personal interests isn’t where the problem lies.

Behind the scenes, Facebook sells your information to advertisers and data brokers. They do this so you see what Facebook calls personalized ads. I used to buy Facebook ads to promote my books. I would target Facebook users who liked certain authors or were in a specific demographic group based on age, sex, marital status, education, etc. 

Seems like a good deal for everybody, right? Advertisers get to sell more stuff. You see ads personalized to your interests. And Facebook makes a boatload of money.

It all comes down to whose rights take precedence? Yours? Or those of advertisers?

Advertising dollars — the root of the problem 

I’ve heard plenty of Facebook ads about how they’re looking out for small businesses and providing consumers with ads that meet their needs. But what those ads don’t mention is that while a small business might sell more of their products, all those advertising dollars are helping Facebook maintain its position as one of the world’s largest tech companies. 

How to manage tracking on IOS

The bottom line is IOS 14.5 may affect Facebook’s advertising revenues. One of their big corporate goals is to convince you, their user, that you should allow them to continue to track and sell your information. Whetheryou want to see personalized ads is up toyou, and the following steps will help manage your preferences to either avoid or allow tracking in IOS 14.5.

  • Go to Settings
  • Scroll down and tap the Privacy link
  • Adjust the activity tracking setting. When the option is set to on, you can choose which apps are allowed track your activity. If the option is off, apps will be instructed to not track your activity. (It is still possible for apps to ‘go rogue’ and track you, but my guess is they won’t last long in the App Store.)

While you’re here, why not check out last month’s tip, Avoiding scams in the age of Covid-19?

Avoiding scams in the age of Covid-19

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avoiding scams in the age of covid-19

Rather than address a specific scam in this month’s tip, I wanted to step back and look at the bigger picture of scams during Covid-19. In my fiction writing, a confluence of events drives my stories, and this scam tip is no different. Two events happened this past week that caused me to think about how to maintain online security and avoid scams in the age of Covid-19.

Isolation is tough on decision making

We often think of networking as something that gets done at work. Jobseekers network to find a new job. Writers network to find an agent or publisher. But there are other types of networking that are even more important. It’s basically all about our ability to make good decisions.

I recently received a question from a reader about how to recover money after she’d fallen for a scam in which she’d significantly overpaid for a product. I referred her to the Better Business Bureau and suggested she contact her credit card company to dispute the charges.

Within a day of that message, Joel Sauer at Charles Schwab put on a podcast in which he talked about the need for online security during Covid-19. The podcast struck a chord with me because my reader had ordered the product for her son-in-law, and her mistake reminded me of the tips I’d just read about.

Staying in touch with family and friends is important to help us make better decisions. As we get older, this becomes even more important because our reasoning skills can be hurt not only by aging but also by isolation—the very thing that’s helped us get through Covid-19.

Money or information

Let’s face it, scammers are in business. Just like any legitimate business person, they want a payback now or later. It’s the reason so many businesses want to put you on their mailing lists. Scammers are no different. If they can score personal information from a person, that improves the likelihood of success in a future scam. If they can get account information such as account numbers, usernames or passwords, that’s even better. Basically, all that information winds up as fuel for future scams.

No legitimate business will ever ask you for your password for an account with them. Also, protect your bank account information. If you send someone a check or deposit a check sent to you, the other party can get your account number.

Gaining trust

People tend not to do business with companies they don’t trust. That’s why scammers put so much effort into gaining the trust of the person they’re trying to scam. As Joel Sauer pointed out, “They will do research on you ahead of time, often, try and use information they learn about your family, friends, what your career was, what your interests are, what your investments are to try to convince you that they understand you, and that they’re looking out for you.”

From scams in which the caller claims to be a friend or relative stranded in a foreign country to those where they impersonate law enforcement, gaining trust is the most critical component of the scam. No matter how believable their story, there are two ways to avoid becoming a victim.

Verify independently

Always verify the information you’ve been given through a second source. For a friend or relative, go back to using your network to find out if the emergency really exists. If the caller claims to be from a company or the government, use a known website or phone number to contact them. One great tip is to bookmark important websites so you don’t have to look them up each time you need them.

Listen for the sense of urgency claim

Eventually, every scammer will want money or information, and they’ll give a deadline. In marketing, this is the ‘call to action.’ It’s the button in an email that tells you to click a link to order now. In a phone call, it will be a verbal requirement to take action before an offer goes away or something bad happens.

Ways to protect yourself from scams during Covid-19

According to Schwab.com/SchwabSafe there are four keys to keeping your information safe. These keys apply no matter who you bank with.

  1. Check your account for suspicious activity
  2. Verify payment requests
  3. Do not share personal or sensitive information on social media
  4. Be cautious when anyone asks for your personal or financial information

Did you like this scam tip? If so, check out last month’s tip, Three tips to shut down warranty scams.

Three tips to shut down warranty scams

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Vintage automobile - three tips to shut down warranty scamsThe Pomona Review,newspaper, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Pomona Review,newspaper, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“We’re calling about your warranty.” Those five words lead into a scam that can cost victims thousands of dollars. Is it any wonder robocalls, and that includes warranty scams, are among the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) top consumer complaints? Let’s take a look at the scoop behind robocalls and warranty scams.

Don’t touch that dial! Not with warranty scams—or any other

Warranty scams are typically initiated by a computer that can make millions of calls per hour. If you’re a direction follower, you may be tempted ‘press 1’ for more information. Or a different key to be taken off of the calling list. Don’t. Pressing any key will record the response and let the dialer know it has found a live number. And when you’re dialing for dollars, a live number is worth money.

Curiosity killed the cat—and could be hazardous to your bank account

Do a search for warranty scams and it becomes obvious there are almost as many flavors of this scam as there are ice cream. Okay, maybe not quite that many, but there are a lot! To make things worse, data breaches from credit agencies and lenders provide scammers access to specific information about your vehicle.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, “What makes it particularly hard to discern if this type of call is fraudulent is that the scammer may have specific information about your particular car and warranty that they use to deceive you into thinking they are a legitimate caller.”

The bottom line is asking questions, even simple ones like, ‘Which of my vehicles are you calling about?’, can bring you a step closer to making the wrong decision. Hang up or don’t answer at all. It’s your best defense.

What if I make a mistake and engage with the caller?

First off, don’t beat yourself up! It happens. Just make sure you follow these three tips to shut down warranty scams.

Tip #1: Give no information.

Keep your personal and financial information private. Never give it out over the phone or in an email to someone you don’t know.

Tip #2: Screen your calls.

There’s no need to pay a service to screen calls. There are free apps to help with stopping robocalls. On IOS, there’s a nifty feature called ‘Silence Unknown Callers’ (Settings > Phone). This feature sends the caller straight to voicemail if they’re not in your contact list. True, it’s overkill, but it might provide a respite from scam call fatigue.

Tip #3: Report the scam.

If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, report the crime to the FCC. The best way to shut down warranty scams is to let the authorities know so they can investigate. You may not get your money back, but you might help someone else avoid making the same mistake.

Did you like this scam tip? If so, check out last month’s tip, Beware the temptation to skip the Covid-19 vaccine line.

Beware the temptation to skip the Covid-19 vaccine line

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Image for skip the covid-19 vaccine line courtesy of https://mynews4.com/news/local/prominence-health-plan-warns-nevadans-of-vaccine-scammers
Image courtesy of https://mynews4.com/news/local/prominence-health-plan-warns-nevadans-of-vaccine-scammers

There are only two ways to get a Covid-19 vaccine—wait your turn or skip the Covid-19 vaccine line. As if coronavirus wasn’t enough, scammers are taking advantage of the public’s vaccine anxiety. Here’s what you need to know to avoid becoming the victim of a scam that could cost you.

The legit route – wait your turn

It’s pretty simple, right? For many, this is the best route to follow. Age, profession, and even geography can impact how long someone has to wait for a vaccine. I consider myself lucky to have gotten my first dose on January 30th. But, what about those who aren’t in my age group? Or who don’t have the right kind of job? Or who simply live in the ‘wrong’ place?

Vaccine hunting – the semi-legit route to skip the Covid-19 vaccine line

If you’re not eligible to receive a vaccine right away, there’s a new phenomenon called vaccine hunting. Vaccine hunting came about because some vaccine doses were spoiling and ending up in the trash. With their desire to see no dose go to waste, enterprising vaccine hunters started calling pharmacies to see if they might have extra doses on any given day. The process is very time consuming. Beware, it might even be necessary to stake out a pharmacy early to grab a place in line. Some vaccine hunters are so committed to this approach that they’ve created Facebook groups to help others. Not everyone agrees that vaccine hunting is ethical, but it’s certainly legal and it does make sure otherwise lost doses don’t go to waste.

The money route – not always legit or safe

Where there’s money, there are scams. The Ohio Better Business Bureau reported that they’re getting reports of people receiving phone calls telling them they’re eligible to receive a vaccine. The catch? You have to pay money or give up your health insurance information to get the shot.

In Nevada, a health plan is warning its customers if they get a call that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. The stories are the same across the country as these Covid-19 scams proliferate.

Three tips to avoid a Covid-19 scam

1) Hang up on robocalls. Scammers are calling to pitch everything from fake coronavirus treatments, to work at home schemes to get your money, and personal information
2) Ignore offers for vaccinations and home test kits. Right now, scammers are selling products to treat or prevent the coronavirus with no evidence that they work
3) Fact check information. Scammers, and sometimes well meaning people, share information that hasn’t been verified. Before you pass information on, check trusted sources like federal, state, and local government websites

https://mynews4.com/news/local/prominence-health-plan-warns-nevadans-of-vaccine-scammers

Did you like this scam tip? If so, check out last month’s scam tip, Three coronavirus scams and how to avoid them.

Three coronavirus scams and how to beat them

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2020 was a crappy year for many people, but it’s turned into a great time to be a scammer. Why? All in all, there’s a tsunami of COVID-19 cases. There’s hope on the horizon in the form of vaccines. And many people are running scared. Indeed, it’s an excellent time to run any one of these three coronavirus scams, and that means you and I need to be extra vigilant.

Three coronavirus scams

Vaccine priority

The contact may come by phone, email, or text, but the story is the same—COVID-19 vaccines are available early. And you may be selected to qualify for priority treatment. Pretty awesome, right? Just pay a small fee or provide your Medicare number, and you’ll get priority treatment.

Contact tracing

A contact tracer calls to ask questions about your exposure to COVID-19. This is an especially difficult issue because legitimate contact tracers deserve every bit of cooperation they can get. But, if the caller asks for your Medicare number or financial information, you’ll know that call’s a fake. In another twist, a scam caller might ask if you’re interested in paying to set up a COVID-19 test.

Testing availability

Not everyone has equal access to COVID-19 testing. For some, that access may be limited by geography, availability, or personal income. This sketchy availability makes some people a prime target for a scam offering fast and easy testing. Again, this scam is straightforward. All you do is pay a small fee or provide your Medicare number. Either way, the person contacting you is offering an expedited COVID-19 test.

What these scams have in common

  • All three of the scams are designed to either get your money or, if you’re on Medicare, your Medicare ID.
  • All three can be an entree to Medicare fraud, which is a huge business. In 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimated there were $29 billion in ‘improper payments.’
  • These scams can start with an email, a text message, or a phone call. Some scammers have even started going door-to-door and soliciting in person.

Three tips to avoid three scams

  • Never give out your personal information, including your Medicare ID if you have one, to an unknown party.
  • You already know not to click on a link or respond to a message, right? Even if it’s an offer for an early vaccine, expedited testing, or to schedule an appointment for these services.
  • Social media sites are great places for cute kitty videos, but they’re terrible for finding a service provider. If you need information about contact tracing, coronavirus testing, or vaccines, visit the CDC website.

Did you like this scam tip? Why not check out last month’s tip, 5 tips to avoid a package delivery scam?

5 tips to avoid a package delivery scam

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scam tip avoid package deliver scams

Shopping online has become the way to go during the 2020 holiday season for most of us. For instance, we get packages delivered by mail, UPS, FedEx, and Amazon delivery. We’ve also heard how the delivery services are all pushed to their limits. With that in mind, I wanted to provide this post with 5 tips to avoid a package delivery scam.

Package delivery scams begin with an email or text

An email or text arrives in your inbox. Your first question may be, how do I know if the message is legitimate? Here are a few clues. First, watch for messages that have been personalized with your first name. Second, be on the lookout for messages that include one of these options. Third, you’re most vulnerable (and should be extra cautious) when you’re expecting a package from a particular shipper and the message says it’s from that same shipper.

  • An unexpected message with a link to check the delivery status of a package. (With UPS and FedEx you can request to receive status updates, so those wouldn’t apply.)
  • A warning that the package can’t be delivered until you update your delivery preferences or your personal information.
  • The package was ‘lost’ and recently ‘found.’ You can claim the package by clicking the included link.

Tips to avoid package delivery scams

Thanks to the explosion of online retail sales, package delivery scams have become much easier to implement. Personally, I know I’m more susceptible to this type of message when there’s a package on the way. One of the first times I saw this scam in action was when I actually was expecting a package and the message arrived a couple of days before my scheduled delivery. With that in mind, here are the first four tips to avoid a package delivery scam:

  • Don’t click that link! You know this, right? (As I mentioned above, this doesn’t apply if you’ve requested status updates from your shipper.)
  • Delete the message to avoid clicking the link by accident
  • If you know how, block the sender.
  • Spam text messages can be reported by forwarding the message to SPAM (7726) and then reporting it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

Tip #5: What to do if you click the link by accident

Depending upon the spammer’s intention, one of two things might happen. First, it’s possible they might download malware to your computer. To avoid this, keep your antivirus and malware software up-to-date.

The link may point to a fake website where you’ll be asked for personal information, logins, or banking information. Providing any of that information will take you down a rabbit hole and into a realm where you definitely don’t want to be, so close the website, delete the message, and be glad you didn’t go further.

Click here to check out more of my scam tips.