Still yet another scam going around. . .

[Cudedog]

Heads up, Ladies. Thought I would pass this along.

Lately, I have been receiving a ton of emails with the heading something like "Your requested invoice" or "Payment Invoice" or "Past Due Invoice" or "Collections! Please pay now!".

These come to an email address that I never ever use for any kind of business activity (buying or selling), so when I see one of these things I delete them without opening them. Also, I will sometimes roll my mouse over the sender to see just where the email is coming from, generally it is from "JoeBlow@gmail.com".

Not JoeBlow, of course, but there are a number of different names, all coming from @gmail.com. Not surprising, because a person can create any number of free email accounts on Gmail.

Just opening an email like this one, and particularly clicking on a link within the email, can totally compromise your computer.

Generally what happens is that malware is automatically downloaded.

Just passing the info along.

Anne

[BarbaraRose]

Thanks! I get so many scam emails! I have clicked on a few only to realize they are scams. Now I am more careful. They are pretty clever at making them look legit tho!

[JudyJB]

One thing that has helped me avoid these scam emails is to have two separate emails. When I started to get a lot of spam in one, I opened up another email address and gave it to friends and family only. If I need to give out my email when I order something online or set up a subscription or something similar, I give out the old "junk" email. Then I check the older junk email less often than my newer "personal" email.

I still get a little junk in my personal email, but it is a lot less than before. I also periodically go through both emails and unsubscribe to the stores like Macy's and some campgrounds I once stayed at that send me advertisements. However, if an email wants my email address as part of the unsubscribe process, I never give it to them, and instead classify that email as spam or set it up as one to be ignored. When I do get an important confirmation in my junk email, I often will forward it to my good email so I have a copy of it. All reservations use my junk email and then I forward them and file them in a separate folder in my good email account. Ditto for Amazon.

Also, I never sign up for grocery or other discount cards. Or if I do, I give a fake name and email address.

[Shirlv]

I am cautious and not tech savvy so do not get many spam anything. I only use my cell for family and friends. Use email for family, friends, Amazon and grocery pickup. I have a landline but do not answer unless I know caller. Age enters into my aversion to dealing with multiple situations. Plus I am slow answering and they hang up.

[Bethers]

I save a lot of money being signed up for grocery cards, including on gas. And so far none of them have caused any spam.

[OregonLuvr]

Beth I agree. My grocery cards have saved me quite a bit. Between the digital deals and the gas savings I am there. Never had an issue with them in many years.

[JudyJB]

The problem with the grocery cards is that you would probably never know. Do they really need your phone number? You might want to change one digit on the application card. I suspect they might need your email, so not much you can do with that if you want to get emails from them.

Way, way back in my life, I did some direct mail marketing. This included buying lists from list brokers. I also was sent by my employer to several conferences and training seminars on that kind of marketing, and learned a lot of what never to do. However, I know there is a trade-off if you are getting some value from savings cards, so at least give them only the information they really, really need. I give out my junk email only for items I have ordered that require a confirmation. Lately, stores like Target, Macy's, and Dick's Sporting stuff have been sending me junk emails, so I have been busy unsubscribing as soon as the item arrives.

I get very, very few phone spam messages--maybe only one per week because I don't give my phone number out unless I really need to. I have to answer all calls because of my aunt, and I had to answer all calls for all the years I was teaching because students needed to reach me, and it was just not possible to enter all 200 of them each year into my phone address book. Luckily, my students almost never abused my personal phone number--maybe only once or twice in 20 years teaching online.

[snowball]

I use the store cards save money get cent's off gas... it all helps... one of the reason's for giving phone number on applications is then if you can't find your card you can put in the phone number and still get the discounts or the points can be put on your card..
sheila

[JudyJB]

Could you put in your phone number with one digit wrong?? I wonder if that would let you enter the phone number when you forget your card, but also prevent them from calling you. Never tried it, but wondered if they really need your real phone number. Do they ever need to call you?

[BirdbyBird]

Several years ago I found out that my daughter was doing her version of changing the information she gave. It was her PetSmart store card. Apparently she was in the habit of putting my cell phone number in in certain situations where she didn't think the stores needed to know that much. Guess it made it easy enough for her to remember. It apparently worked flawlessly until the time she took one of her dogs in for a toe nail trim and I got a strange text on my phone about a charge on a credit card # I did not recognize for a service in the city of Charlotte, NC. I made a few phone calls and figured it out...but it was strange.....

[Bethers]

Judy, I rarely get scam calls. Unlike scam emails but they are easy to get rid of. Just scary how good some are that we need to keep on our toes Tina, that made me laugh, but that does show why the phone number is a good thing. Had it not been your daughter you would have found out immediately about the wrong charge. Laughing here, you did find out. Judy, I agree that you probably are better off not signing up for your own reasons. Also, using the pick up services, they use my phone number to text me changes or when the order is ready, etc.

One of my first real jobs, in high school, I worked telemarketing. We dialed every number from certain prefixes (determined by where those prefixes were). We didn't have names or addresses, just the list of numbers in numerical order. Every number got called. No one was left out.

[Colliemom]

I do use grocery card from my Meijer store and I have saved money on groceries and gas and I have never had a scam of any kind from it. I do not use my cell phone much and like Shirl , my friends and family are about the only people who have the number with the exception of a couple of other places so scam calls on are pretty much zilch. Do you have a landline phone back here and again it will alert me if it’s a scam call. I don’t answer it anyway unless there’s a number I know. Even then sometimes I don’t because of phishing going on. I let it go to my answering machine and I can intercept it if I know who the person is. And the ones I get via emails, I just delete.

[Redetotry]

When I get unwanted email I just mark it as junk and I no longer see them.

[Bethers]

Every now and then a government agency sends a legitimate email about spams. This came from social security today:



Be Aware This
Holiday Season.

Many of us spend the holidays relaxing and sharing in goodwill with friends and family. But some bad actors use the holidays to take advantage of people’s generous spirits. Scammers frequently target the older and other more vulnerable members of our communities. They pretend they are from Social Security or another government agency to steal your money or personal information.

Caller ID, texts, or documents sent by email may look official, but they are not. Fraudsters are calling to verify information about the 2023 cost-of-living adjustment for people who get benefits. Remember, this adjustment is automatic and a beneficiary does not need to verify anything. Social Security won’t ask you to provide information or money to get your benefit increase. Know that how we do business with you doesn’t change because it’s the holidays. We may email or text you about programs and services, but we will never ask for personal information via email or text.

Recognizing the signs of a scam can help you avoid falling victim to one. These scams primarily use the telephone to contact you, but scammers may also use email, text messages, social media, or U.S. mail. Scammers pretend to be from an agency or organization you know to gain your trust. Scammers say there is a problem with your Social Security number or account. Scammers pressure you to act immediately. Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way.

Know what to look for and be alert. Scammers don’t take days off and neither should you… when it comes to making sure you identify suspicious communications and report it. If you receive a questionable call, text, or email, hang up or don’t respond and report it at oig.ssa.gov/report. Scammers frequently change their methods with new tactics and messages to trick people. We encourage you to stay up to date on the latest news and advisories by following SSA’s Office of the Inspector General on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook or subscribing to receive email alerts.