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Terry Ambrose

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Scams & Cons

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FBI warns those looking for love online that they are targets

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On October 23, the FBI issued an alert about a dating extortion scam via the Internet Crime Complain Center (IC3). According to the alert, the scam “baits individuals into intimate online conversations” and extorts money through blackmail. Online dating scams are certainly nothing new, however the October 23rd FBI alert indicates that there has been […]

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A British target, a US domain, and a Kazakstan email service

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I wrote this article for my Crime and Courts column on Examiner.com earlier today. Included here is an image of the email received. In one sense, this is a testament to the interconnectedness of the Internet. There are three different countries involved in this scam, but the bottom line is that it’s still just plain […]

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New malware attacks Android smartphones

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This story ran in my Crime and Courts column on Examiner.com on October 13. The reality is that even apps in Google Play store have included a virus. US News & World Reportincluded a story on this months ago. On October 12, the FBI issued an alert through the Internet Crime Complain Center (IC3) to […]

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iPhone 5 Shipping Scam

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Today is release day for the Apple iPhone 5. Millions of people are waiting for their shipping notifications from UPS that will announce the shipment of their new phone. However, it’s also a day when those same people may be vulnerable to a new email scam. Unlike the Nigerian 419 scam, which works “offline,” this […]

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The Domain Name Registration Scam

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If you own a domain name, you eventually may be hit with a domain name registration scam. Here’s how it works. You receive an “urgent” notice from a domain registry service telling you that your domain should be renewed with them immediately. The problem is that the letter or email might not be from the […]

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Three tips for travelers to avoid the pizza-menu scam

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Have you ever heard of a scam used on travelers using pizza menus? Until yesterday, I hadn’t. And, until yesterday, I never would have hesitated when ordering a pizza from a hotel room. Travel scam – pizza menus The pizza-menu scam is quite simple as far a scams and cons go. Someone walks through a […]

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Verizon Wireless email scam

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In this morning’s email, I found an email from Verizon Wireless Services. The email was addressed to me, included the Verizon logo, colors, etc. In short, it appeared to be legitimate with two exceptions. There was no identifying account information and the balance was huge. How to tell a phishing email from the real thing […]

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Three tips to avoid identity theft when traveling

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It’s easy to find yourself the victim of a travel scam. With the summer travel season fast approaching, it’s a time that offers identity thieves the perfect opportunity to make money at your expense. Here are three quick tips on how to avoid becoming the victim of identity thieves that prey on travelers. Two of […]

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The Twitter.com scam

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This morning, I started to log on to Twitter.com, but got redirected immediately to a website where I was told that I had been selected to complete in a three-question survey and that for my trouble, I would receive a prize. The suspicious angel on my right shoulder said, “Scam alert!” The curious devil on […]

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Walmart text message scam

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Yesterday, while driving, I received a text message. I seldom receive text messages, so I thought this must involve something important. To my surprise, the message was from Walmart—or so the message said. The text message read as follows: “Dear Walmart shopper, your purchase last month won a $1000 Walmart Gift Card. Click here to […]

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