Tax Day 2015 is behind us. With the passing of the April 15 deadline, millions of taxpayers are now waiting for, or have already received, refunds. And, what those millions of taxpayers provide is an opportunity for scammers. Hence, we’re now seeing the IRS Payment Confirmation email scam. What the IRS Payment Confirmation email looks like You are receiving this notification … [Read more...] about The IRS Payment Confirmation email — a closer look
Scams & Cons
The fraudulent fraud phone call scam
A fraudulent phone call about fraud on an account? This week’s scam tip seems almost too bizarre to be true, but in a recent blog post by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Alvaro Puig, Consumer Education Specialist reported that identity thieves are impersonating credit card company fraud departments. The fake fraud phone call With millions of credit card numbers having … [Read more...] about The fraudulent fraud phone call scam
Fake government website scams
In last week’s edition of my monthly newsletter, “The Snitch,” I discussed three tips to help avoid visiting or providing information on a fake website. In addition to fraudulent commercial websites, scammers are now launching fake government websites. These sites are designed to do nothing more than collect fees and steal personal information from visitors.On April 7, the … [Read more...] about Fake government website scams
Brain Booster BS—don’t trust these emails
Are the emails offering you ways to boost your brain power for real? Or, are they nothing more than BS?Let’s take a close look at a couple of the ones I received this week. The first one had the subject “Discover Magazine: Billionaires Rely on the Brain Booster, Free-Delivery Expires Today.” Sounds like a limited-time offer, right? That, however, is one handy tools in the … [Read more...] about Brain Booster BS—don’t trust these emails
The Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion email scam
Email inboxes are receiving a barrage of mail encouraging consumers to monitor their credit. The emails may offer a link to one of the three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. The fact is, these emails may have different purposes. Some are merely intended to sell you a service you don’t need, while others are a scam designed to take you to a phishing or malware … [Read more...] about The Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion email scam