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Terry Ambrose

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Scams & Cons

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Low-Tech & High-Risk: 3 Inventive Ways to Steal Personal Data

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One common misconception about fraud and identity theft is that it takes a highly intelligent, tech-savvy person to perpetrate an attack. Sure, it requires a special breed of hacker to carry out a large-scale intrusion like last year’s Target credit card breach or the more recent Ashley Madison scandal, but the majority of incidents happen […]

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International phone call scam

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I recently received an email from reader Tom Z. asking if I was familiar with international phone call scam. He specifically mentioned the 809 area code, which is based in the Dominican Republic. The scam is also known as the “one ring” phone scam and often targets cellular users. At some point, everyone receives a […]

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5 Affordable Ways to Secure Your Home

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As a homeowner, you want to be proactive in keeping your home safe and secure. But, while you are concerned about possible break-ins and other problems, you don’t have an endless amount of money to spend on pricey security systems. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to secure your home that won’t break the bank. […]

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Can you improve your vision in two days?

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The Kamra Inlay is a relatively new procedure in the US. On April 17, the procedure received FDA approval and is now available as a solution for resolving Presbyopia, which occurs when the eye can no longer change its focus easily. The reason for this tip isn’t to say the treatment doesn’t work. It’s a […]

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Germ killer company claims go too far

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Nobody likes germs. With words like “super-germ” and pandemic floating around these days, it’s easy to see how many of us will leap at a promising new germ killer technology…of course, sometimes the promised performance is far more than the actual. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently went after two companies who promoted their ultraviolet […]

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Three tips to avoid an air conditioning scam

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In most parts of the country, hot weather is in full swing. It’s prime time for air conditioners to take center stage in our thoughts. Is my unit working as well as it should? Does it need a tune-up? More refrigerant? An air conditioning scam can run the gamut from a free inspection that uncovers […]

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Stopping robocalls and other telemarketing scams

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The National Do Not Call Registry is commonly known as the Do Not Call list. The service began in 2004. It seemed like a good idea at the time. It still does in some ways. What many people don’t understand is, registering for the Do Not Call list does not guarantee an end to annoying […]

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Contests, promotions, and card cracking

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What is card cracking? It occurs when someone gives away their banking information to a third-party expecting a legitimate action to take place. For instance, you enter a contest or sign up for a promotion, but as part of the entry, your banking information is required. Who would willingly give away their banking information to […]

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Is your credit protection service perfect?

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When I do presentations to community groups, we talk about scams and cons, but also credit protection. On multiple occasions, I’ve been asked, “Should I sign up for LifeLock?” Or, phrased differently, “Is LifeLock worth the price?” There’s no simple answer to this question about credit protection, but one thing is certain, LifeLock will be […]

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Xarelto lawsuit settlement scam emails arrive

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Xarelto lawsuit settlement scam emails are flooding inboxes, bringing with them the possibility of further harm to those who believe they may have sustained injuries from the prescription of this blood thinner. What makes these emails especially troublesome are the pending lawsuits against Janssen Pharmaceutical and Bayer Healthcare about the safety of Xarelto. What’s behind […]

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