They Really Are Out to Get You, Protect Yourself From These Common Frauds

June 30, 2021

You are not paranoid because they really are out to get you. It is not a crazy conspiracy. They go by many names and they use many weapons. But the most powerful weapons they use are your own best and worst impulses. They also use your family and friends against you. They secretly weaponize everything you hold dear. That smartphone you love so much is their gateway into your most sensitive data. You think you are downloading apps. But in reality, the scam apps are downloading you. It isn’t just Android. Fraudulent apps occupy Apple’s App Store as well.

Don’t think it is just the noobs and novices who are at risk. The most sophisticated hacks are saved for the most sophisticated users. The moment you start thinking you are beyond such petty concerns due to your skill level is the moment you become a danger to yourself and most vulnerable to all manner of scams. For the most part, hackers don’t care about you in particular. Even low-value targets are worthwhile if they can bag enough of them. If there is anything remotely interesting about you, your job, your house, your family, your friends, or your technology, you are being targeted by someone. Here are a few of those threats, and what you can do about them:

CEO Scams

You might have heard about a new scam targeting CEOs. While there is some targeting of CEOs, the idea is to pose as an executive officer of the company. The target is anyone who can provide sensitive data, or provide access to the person who can provide sensitive data. CEOs would make an excellent target because they are often the most clueless when it comes to technology. They don’t have to compose email. They can have their communications team do all the heavy lifting.

These types of scams can put employees in a bind. On the one hand, they have to be responsive to important communications from the higher-ups. On the other hand, they shouldn’t just comply with emails that request sensitive data. The best way to deal with this kind of email is to send a separate email to the person who supposedly made the request to see if the email was valid. If not, you need to report the fraudulent email to your IT department right away so that they can take the appropriate action.

Tax Fraud

There are lots of petty crimes with which you are likely to get away. But tax fraud is not one you can count on getting away with for very long. The IRS is relentless. Just ask Al Capone. Thing is, you might not even be the one committing the tax fraud. It is very likely a hacker using your credentials to commit the tax fraud. That is almost as bad because you will find it difficult to prove your innocence.

Tax fraud scams can happen when someone uses your personal information to file for a tax return meant for you. The first sign of a problem is often when you try to file and discover that you have already filed. It can be a mess to reverse the issue. Be sure you educate yourself on the methods for defeating spear phishing.

Fake Links

One of the most insidious attacks comes in the form of fake links, usually sent in emails. This email message posing as an official communication from Walmart is the perfect example. In this case, you get a notification informing you that your package could not be delivered due to incorrect address information. They helpfully provide a link for you to make the correction. In doing so, you are delivering the information they need to execute identity theft and apply for credit cards in your name. The solution cannot be overemphasized: Never, ever click on links in emails. Always go to the site directly from the web browser and get instructions from there. Most of the time, you will find there is no issue and you have avoided a very costly mistake.

It is true, hackers and scammers are really out to get you with CEO scams, tax fraud, and fake links. Current laws are insufficient deterrents. So you are going to have to protect yourself.