Scammers don’t take a summer vacation

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With a busy travel season fast approaching, it does not hurt to get a refresher on common scams to avoid as well as critical safety tips to keep in mind while out of town. From bogus travel booking sites to fake vacation scams, there is a lot to be mindful of when navigating the next few months.

Not-so-“free” vacations

Free vacation scams are a persistent complaint no matter the time of year, but they may appear particularly enticing during the summer holidays. Beware of unsolicited alerts that you have won a vacation via a sweepstakes you never entered. These offers only exist to steal your money, your identity, or both. Even contests you do voluntarily enter should be carefully scrutinized to ensure that you’re not providing contact information to criminals.

Too good to be true getaways

Fraudulent booking agencies and websites for travel accommodations commonly prey on summer vacationers. These types of scams often advertise deals that sound too good to be true or utilize branding and naming that closely resembles (if not identical to) legitimate booking entities. Using one of these agencies or sites, you may think that you secured plane tickets for the July 4th holiday when in reality, fraudsters stole the money and your personal information.

Avoid “phantom rentals” on popular vacation rental platforms

Vacation rental marketplaces like Airbnb are becoming increasingly popular havens for scams. A typical scam involves a prospective owner pushing for you to pay outside of the primary website’s platform or to provide them with personal contact information (neither of which Airbnb allows). Additionally, fraudulent postings often use unrealistic or manipulated photos and fake or incentivized reviews to advertise a non-existent—or subpar—listing.

Follow these tips to reduce your risk from scams this summer:

  • Scrutinize contests and rewards before entering. Unsolicited sweepstakes often only exist to extract personal information and money. Common red flags on a website include typos—especially in the URL – as well as unprofessional web design and an unusual number of pop ups and other ads. Search for third-party reviews about the sweepstakes (e.g. [sweepstakes name] and “scam”). If there’s any doubt about the legitimacy of a sweepstakes, it’s smarter to just steer clear.
  • Authenticate hotels, Airbnb’s, and travel agencies. Similar to the point above, emails, websites, and other products of the suspect company may give clues as to their authenticity. Often, if you see a deal that’s too good to be true, that’s because it is.
  • Using trusted friends or media publications like Consumer Reports or the Better Business Bureau can be a safe way to find reputable listings.
  • Make purchases with a credit card. Credit cards have stronger fraud protections than debit or peer-to-peer payment platforms like Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal. Just be sure to dispute any suspicious transaction in a timely manner.
  • Take precautions when using public Wi-Fi. Unsecured networks allow other users on the network to view your internet activity. Avoid entering confidential information (such as financial credentials) and try to only access protected websites (beginning with “https”) if you’re on a public Wi-Fi hotspot. Many cell phone plans allow you to turn your mobile phone into a personal hotspot, which can be more secure than public Wi-Fi.
  • Don’t let everyone know you’re traveling. Especially if you live alone, this acts as a beacon to let intruders know your (temporarily vacant) home is an easy target. Save the social media posts for after you return.

 

Be an ally in the fight against fraud!

If you suspect that you or someone you know has become a victim of one of these scams or any other fraud, don’t just delete the message — report it at once to the social media platform. You can file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form. We’ll share your complaint with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars.

Scammers have a new target: Smart TVs

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Just like any other device connected to the internet, TV’s can be a vector for scammers to use to try and steal money or personal information from their victims. At Fraud.org, we’ve seen a recent burst of reports regarding fraudsters finding victims through smart televisions. 

The scam works like this: When connecting a smart TV to a streaming service like Hulu, Netflix, or HBOMax, consumers are often required to go to an activation URL (e.g. www.streamingservice.com/activate) on their smartphone or computer. Once there, they are usually required to enter the code that appears on their smart TV to link the device to a streaming account. 

Capitalizing on this, scammers are setting up lookalike sites with a URL nearly identical to the authentic one—sometimes with just one character difference. When a consumer makes a typo in attempting to access the genuine website displayed on their streaming device, they are instead taken to the fraudulent page. Once on this copycat website, fraudsters will receive any login credentials, personal information, credit card numbers, and payments that the consumer may provide.  

In other cases, the scam appears to begin when a consumer uses a search engine to look up activation information for their smart TV (e.g. “Roku activation”). Scammers buy ads or otherwise get their fake activation websites to appear high in search results. When the consumer clicks on the bogus link, they may be directed to a website or receive a pop-up asking the user to pay an activation fee. To be clear, Roku and most other streaming device creators do not charge activation or setup fees.  

Scammers also use pop-ups to direct the consumer to call a phone number, usually claiming it’s to finish setting up the user’s account, resolve an error, or fix network issues. This often results in another charge to the consumer, a request for personal information, or both. Furthermore, once fraudsters have a potential victim’s phone number, they are relentless in their pursuit to either complete a scam or conduct another if the first attempt was successful. It is very common for consumers to receive multiple, sometimes dozens, of calls following initial contact. 

Here are a few tips to stay safe while navigating your smart TV: 

  1. Scrutinize fees. Whether it’s an activation fee for your Roku (which doesn’t actually require a setup fee) or an alert to resubscribe for a service, fraudsters are always looking for clever ways to charge money. Double check whether the fee matches what the real service charges, or if there is even a charge at all. Additionally, you can log in to a streaming account on another device to check if the subscription has lapsed and take the appropriate steps once you’re sure you have reached an authentic website. 
  2. Ensure the URL for the website you’re accessing is spelled correctly. Whether on your TV, phone, or laptop, just one wrong letter can take you to a fraudulent website. Since these copycat sites can look very similar (or identical) to the true destination you were expecting, carefully inspect that the URL you’re going to is the right one. 
  3. Double check any phone numbers that appear on your screen. Customer support numbers should be easy to find on genuine companies’ websites.  
  4. Don’t let strangers control your device. While this mostly applies to computers, providing control to strangers over your device gives them access to personal and financial information. No authentic support will request remote access to your smart TV. 

Be an ally in the fight against fraud!  

If you suspect that you or someone you know has become a victim of a smart TV scam or any other fraud — report it at once. You can file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form. We’ll share your complaint with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars. 

Don’t let a tech support scammer fool you this April

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Over the last year, Fraud.org has received dozens of complaints involving scammers who requested remote access to consumers’ computers. In 2021, the median loss reported to Fraud.org from such scams was $1,100. In a typical scenario, scammers pose as tech support and request control of the victim’s device. The victims are often told that this is necessary to remove a virus or update software. This is the first tell-tale sign of fraud. No legitimate tech support service should reach out proactively to ask for remote access to your computer. In other cases, consumers may be responding to a scary pop-up message on their computers (often the result of malware) that demands hundreds of dollars to remove a virus or resolve some other computer problem. 

Handing over control of your device is one of the worst things you can do when it comes to cybersecurity. By providing remote access, you expose yourself to identity theft, financial loss, and material harm. The hacker could access confidential information (such as your Social Security number, bank account information, and passwords), breach other devices on your network, or drain your bank accounts. In more sensitive industries, such as healthcare and governmental fields, malicious actors could exploit remote access to shut down critical infrastructure.  

Once you allow someone else to take control of your computer, you can never be sure what they are doing with the device. After gaining remote access, a common scam involves the fraudster manipulating the consumer’s device to appear as if the scammer accidentally deposited a large sum of money into the victim’s bank account. In reality, they never deposited a single cent. When they transfer the money out of the victim’s account, they are actually draining the victim’s own funds while making it appear as if they only reclaimed their “accidentally deposited” money. Once a scammer gains remote access, they can also easily install malware without the victim’s knowledge, causing even greater harm to the user.  

To reduce your risk of falling victim to these scams, consider the following tips: 

  • Do not give anyone the ability to remotely access your personal device. Generally, once you have relinquished control of your computer, it is very difficult to regain complete security.  
  • Double check tech support’s identity. If someone reaches out to you, don’t immediately believe that they are who they say they are. It’s best for you to be the one who initiates software help requests via a trusted and verified website. 
  • Double check software updates’ validity. Scammers are known to suggest that they need remote access to install and update. A simple online search of the software update should return announcements of the update by the manufacturer, if it is a genuine update as well as instructions on how to install it. 
  • Don’t trust time-sensitive demands. Legitimate tech support and software updates will not pressure you to act within minutes, especially when remote access or payment is involved. 
  • Get help in person. Although this is not always possible (especially during a pandemic), visiting your manufacturer’s local storefront for tech support is a much safer way to verify that you’re dealing with a professional.  

Be an ally in the fight against fraud! 

If you suspect that you or someone you know has become a victim of a remote access scam or any other fraud — report it at once. You can file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form. We’ll share your complaint with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars. 

Unexpected eBay 1099-K form could be fraud

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At Fraud.org, we’ve recently heard from a handful of consumers who received realistic-looking IRS 1099-K documents from eBay — a form that reports profits from selling items on an online marketplace. The problem? Many of the recipients of the letters do not have a history of selling any merchandise online. In some cases, the consumers we’ve heard from don’t even have eBay accounts! This is a topic of discussion showing up in other forums as well recently.

To add to the confusion, some consumers are actually active sellers on eBay, and some of the info on the tax form appears to be correct. But a mix of accurate details with unrecognized claims has made it difficult for recipients to know what to do next.

Consumer fraud experts like those running Fraud.org suspect that the unexpected or erroneous tax forms may be an indicator of fraud. We’re still trying to get to the root of the mysterious forms, but in the meantime, can offer some strong rules of thumb when it comes to filing taxes safely — without using information you suspect is wrong.

Hold onto the forms (but don’t file using them).

It’s important that you do not file your taxes using information you do not recognize or that you know to be inaccurate.

While some may just throw away a 1099-K that shows income that they did not earn, it is important to hold on to any tax-relevant documents, including 1099-K’s and W-2’s that show incorrect earnings. Although these notices may (hopefully) have been sent in error, they could also be a sign that the recipient is a victim of identity fraud. Since these tax-related notices are often tied to a Social Security number, an unrecognized source of income may mean that someone else is using your credentials.

eBay’s explanation

It is still unclear what the underlying problem is that is resulting in the IRS 1099-K forms being sent out. eBay representatives have reportedly said that the documents were likely sent out in error, and that recipients should toss them out. We believe this is poor advice, given the unresolved status of the issue on eBay’s end. There are potential implications from unauthorized usage of consumers’ Social Security numbers, and consumers need to keep a paper trail in order to best regain control over their identity (if it has been compromised).

If you receive a tax document showing unrecognized income

  • Contact the business that distributed the 1099-K, W-2, or other income report. Finding out if the business actually believes you (or whoever used your Social Security number) may owe taxes or if it was simply a clerical error could help in determining if you were a victim of identity theft.
  • Check your bank and credit card statements for unauthorized activity. While this may not always be a sign that your identity has been stolen (and having a stolen identity does not always result in unauthorized financial charges), they often go together. If someone stole your SSN, they very well may have access to other sensitive information like online banking passwords, credit and debit card information, and other credentials that would allow them to make payments on your behalf.
  • Search your email (and letter mail) for a data breach notice. People who are victims of a data breach are at greater risk of having their identities stolen. Again, although it’s not a one-to-one correlation between breach victims and identity theft, finding out if your credentials appeared in a leak could help piece together the problem.
  • Visit IdentityTheft.gov. If you believe you are the victim of identity theft (someone else has used your Social Security number or other credentials to take actions on your behalf), IdentityTheft.gov has more detailed steps you can take that are specific to your situation.

Be an ally in the fight against fraud!

If you suspect that you or someone you know has become a victim of one of these scams or any other fraud, don’t just delete the message — report it at once to the social media platform. You can file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form. We’ll share your complaint with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars.

Neon sign reading top 10

2021 fraud trends show increased financial loss, rise of investment scams, and more

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Fraud.org’s annual Top Ten Scams Report for 2021 is out! Although fewer consumers reported monetary losses due to fraud when compared to 2020, the median amount lost has hit a 10-year high. This comes as everyone is adjusting to a much more virtual way of life, with the pandemic entering its third calendar year. Notably, an explosive growth in cryptocurrency seems to have driven a 168 percent increase in investment scams, a Fraud.org category which includes cryptocurrency fraud. The full Top Ten Scams Report for 2021 can be found here.

Top Ten Scams of 2021

  1. Prizes/Sweepstakes/Free Gifts
  2. Internet: General Merchandise
  3. Phishing/Spoofing
  4. Fake Check Scams
  5. Friendship & Sweetheart Swindles
  6. Investment: Other (incl. cryptocurrency scams)
  7. Advance Fee Loans, Credit Arrangers
  8. Family/Friend Imposter
  9. Computers: Equipment/Software (incl. tech support scams)
  10. Scholarships/Grants

Sweepstakes scams, which made up 35 percent of all reports received by Fraud.org, were the #1 type of scam for 2021. With a median loss of $795 resulting from this form of fraud, Sweepstakes scams had been a steadily rising complaint on Fraud.org’s radar. The basic premise involves a victim being notified that they won a prize or other monetary reward, but in order to claim it, they must first send the fraudster money. Victims are often asked for more payments before being able to claim their reward and the cycle continues, never allowing the victim to receive their (likely non-existent) prize.

While sweepstakes scams took the top spot, investment fraud was the fastest growing category, more than doubling its share of reported complaints. We believe this is due to the surge in cryptocurrency scams as scammers take advantage of the new and often inadequately regulated market. The median loss for this category was $1,750, our second highest median loss (even though this form of fraud represents only 3 percent of the reports we received). The disproportionate harm we’re seeing here should serve as a warning to consumers who may be searching for new investment portfolios.

This year’s new entry: fraudulent offers of scholarships or grants. Ranking at #10, this category had a median loss of $1,000 and grew almost 25 percent compared to data from 2020. While simply applying to a counterfeit grant already involves risks stemming from providing personal information to deceitful actors, the monetary damage is extra punitive. Similar to sweepstake scams, fraudulent grants may promise their award only after the victim provides a payment, possibly hidden in an “application fee.”

Tips to guard against fraud

  1. Be wary of strangers requesting payment. It may seem like common sense, but anyone awarding a prize, distributing grants, or offering a job should not ask for up-front payments before providing what was promised.
  2. Look for outside references. Legitimate sweepstakes, grants, and even cryptocurrency markets will often have some type of press campaign associated with them. Search for verifiable news coverage or crowdsourced user reviews rather than relying on the scammer’s word.
  3. Check for typos. Common internet scams involve a popular website or company name, but with one letter missing or added. Although easy to miss, catching this red flag can be a lifesaver.
  4. Verify identity. Similar to the second tip, finding an outside channel to verify identity can prevent imposter fraud. Texting a friend’s phone number to ensure the social media DM really came from them or calling your grandmother to check if she actually sent that email often takes no time at all and keeps you safe.

The Top Ten Scams Report was compiled from more than 4,300 complaints filed by consumers with Fraud.org in 2021. We share these complaints with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars. If you or someone you know has been a victim of a scam, we urge you to file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form.

Resolve to DM safely in 2022

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Social media is more popular than ever, with nearly 3 billion users on Facebook, 1 billion on Instagram and TikTok, and nearly 400 million on Twitter. Given their enormous size, it was inevitable that these platforms would also become magnets for scammers looking to make a quick buck. In many ways, social media is the perfect way for fraudsters to find new victims since these digital platforms offer a number of ways to interact with victims — basic text, disappearing stories, live-stream videos, and countless more. This means that users must constantly stay alert as scammers could be seeking them out in many different ways.

In 2022, Fraud.org warns consumers to be especially wary of scammers seeking them out through these platforms’ direct messaging channels. Whether via Instagram direct messaging, Facebook Messenger, or Twitter “DMs,” scammers often seek to capture a victim’s sensitive information through these avenues because they allow private, one-on-one conversations. Phishing via direct messaging is troublesome as it places a lot of responsibility on the singular recipient to first, correctly determine if the sender is fraudulent and secondly, to accurately report the offending account. These factors can make it easier for scammers to avoid detection.

When compared to a public feed posting where multiple users (who may have knowledge of common scams) can view, react, share warnings, and report predatory posts, phishing via private messaging typically does not allow any other users to view the incoming message—let alone comment on or report the questionable DM. With only you, the recipient, being the first judge of character regarding a new message, it is important to keep in mind the following tips.

  • Beware of users posing as government officials. Legitimate representatives of the state (whether local police or federal employees) should never ask for sensitive information over social media direct messaging. Anyone posing as a government agent who asks for payment, credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, or bank account details via DMs is just trying to scam you. If someone claiming to be with the government contacts you via a social media DM, the safest course of action is not to engage. If you’re concerned, contact the government agency independently to verify the validity of the sender.
  • Watch out for hacked accounts. When receiving a suspicious message from an acquaintance, friend, or family member, it may be tempting to ignore the red flags. Unfortunately, even your closest loved ones’ accounts may be compromised. Once that happens, fraudsters can use those profiles to send out phishing messages. If the online account of someone you know is behaving strangely (for example: maybe your parent’s Facebook account is asking for your Social Security number or your close friend sent you a link over Twitter to claim a cash prize), reach out to the sender through other means—possibly in person or by phone—to verify if they truly sent those DMs.
  • As a general rule of thumb, don’t use direct messaging on social media platforms to distribute sensitive information. By making this a habit, in addition to always questioning the authenticity of incoming messages, you can reduce your risk of fraud.

It’s important to remember that although not every individual who asks probing questions over the internet is a scammer, it is in your best interest to assume that they are fraudulent until proven otherwise. Even if the sender’s account belongs to someone you personally know, the danger of online communication is that you can never be fully certain of who is on the other side of the screen without secondary verification. Keep your community safe and be sure to report anyone that is distributing suspicious messages.

Be an ally in the fight against fraud!

If you suspect that you or someone you know has become a victim of one of these scams or any other fraud, don’t just delete the message — report it at once to the social media platform. You can file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form. We’ll share your complaint with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars.

Don’t let your guard down this holiday season

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With the holiday season upon us, many Americans will be anxious to travel and visit loved ones, possibly for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. Unfortunately, with scams linked to the pandemic continuing to affect millions of Americans, the holidays are no time to let your guard down. Here are scams that holiday travelers and shoppers should be on the lookout for. 

Travel scams 

Air travel has been a nightmare the past six months. With consumers spending hours on hold for customer service and dealing with vast cancellations and delays, travelers should be cautious when considering offers for accommodations, alternate travel arrangements, or other reimbursements—especially ones not coming from the original airline. Common scams — such as fake booking sites that take your money without providing the promised plane tickets, or free vacations that suspiciously ask for your credit card information — will be prevalent this season. Even in a rush to make alternate accommodations following a last-minute cancellation, it is important to remain wary of any suspicious offers, websites, or reimbursements. 

Money-making scams 

Although COVID-19 has supercharged the growth of legitimate work-from-home employment, remote work scams have been around for decades. The combination of these factors has created what appears to be a distressing rise in fraudulent work-from-home “opportunities.” That’s why it’s important to fully vet any remote business opportunity before investing. Be especially careful when receiving offers from entities that you have not previously worked for, individuals who are unable to provide evidence for their earnings claims, and arrangements that seem too good to be true. These are common signs that the company making the offer is not acting in good faith.  

Gift card resale scams 

Gift cards are always a popular holiday gift. Scammers know this and have found a way to take advantage: gift card resale scams. Consumers should beware unsolicited offers of payment in exchange for the numbers on the back of a gift card. To reduce your risk of this scam, only accept payments for gift cards from trusted friends or family members. If you must sell a gift card to a stranger, using a known gift card exchange (such as Cardcash.com) can increase your chances of receiving legitimate offers. Anyone offering full dollar value (or higher) for a gift card is likely to be a fraudster. 

Although there are a variety of scams out there, there are a few tried-and-true rules of thumb for avoiding scams, no matter what form they come in: 

  • Be suspicious of offers from strangers. The old adage that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is a great rule of thumb. Stick with the companies and individuals you have either already done business with or can otherwise verify their legitimacy. For example, compensation for a cancelled flight is likely to come from the original airline rather than an unknown user via Facebook direct message. 
  • Protect your information. Sensitive information should never be given out before verifying the identity and legitimacy of the recipient. Vetting an unsolicited work-from-home offer before sending your Social Security number or ensuring that gift card codes are being sent to a reputable exchange market are a couple preventive measures consumers can take. 
  • Do your research. Typically, legitimate offers can be easily verifiable. Contacting an airline directly to check the validity of compensatory travel or conducting a Google search of a company offering remote work are simple ways to prevent identity theft or monetary loss. Trust your instincts! If a site looks unusual or suspicious, if the URL contains a misspelled word, or if there are no outside references to this entity besides its own website, it’s probably best to stay away.

Be an ally in the fight against fraud! If you suspect that you or someone you know has become a victim of one of these scams or any other fraud, report it at once. You can file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form. We’ll share your complaint with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars.

Supply chain disruptions are likely to be the gift that keeps on giving for scammers this holiday season

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Record-breaking backlogs at the nation’s ports this fall are a significant contributor to the inflation that is hitting Americans right in the pocketbook recently. And with the disruptions likely to last into 2022, it could be harder than ever for consumers to get sought-after toys and must-have gifts this holiday season.  

Unfortunately, consumers’ eagerness to get their hands on PlayStation 5’s, L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls, and Baby Yodas — combined with global supply chain disruptions — are likely to play right into scammers’ hands. Each year, fraudsters set up fake websites, run bogus online auctions, or post ads on Craigslist and social media claiming to be able to obtain and resell sought-after gifts. Internet merchandise scams regularly top Fraud.org’s annual Top Ten Scams list. This year, with the supply chain disruptions making toys scarcer than ever, parents are likely to be even more vulnerable to these scams.  

Not getting the gift you were searching for could be the least of your problems if you fall victim to a holiday shopping scam. To make matters worse, many victims also end up becoming a victim of a potentially more devastating fraud: ID theft. A 2018 survey by Experian found that 8 percent of consumers reported being a victim of identity theft during the holiday season, with 43 percent of those victims saying that the theft happened while shopping online. As millions more Americans continue to shop online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of identity fraud during the holiday shopping season has only grown.  

To stay safe this holiday season, Fraud.org recommends shoppers take the following steps: 

  • Steep discounts = Too good to be true. If your child is desperate for an XBOX Series X (retail price: $499 and up) and you see one online at a steep discount, chances are that it’s a scam. Whether you’re searching for an impossible-to-find toy or just a pair of slippers for your spouse, the safest places to buy are with retailers you’ve purchased from in the past. 
  • Watch out for emails or text messages promising must-have gifts or discounts. Email and text message phishing scams are a tried-and-true method for scammers to find victims. Don’t click on links or attachments (such as those pointing you to “discount codes”), as these can infect your computer or cell phone with malware or even encrypt your files with ransomware. 
  • Beware of counterfeit toys. According to the Toy Association, nearly 1 in 5 (19 percent) of parents report that their child has received a counterfeit or knock-off toy purchased online. Counterfeit toys are not made in adherence with strict federal toy safety standards, increasing the potential for dangerous products to enter your home. You can reduce your risk of buying a dangerous toy by shopping with brick-and-mortar retailers and trusted online marketplaces. 
  • Credit cards are the safest way to pay. Regardless of where you buy toys, paying with a credit card gives you dispute resolution rights in case the transaction goes bad. If a seller asks you to pay with a gift card, via a peer-to-peer payment app, wire transfer, or even cash, you are likely to be out of luck if the gift never arrives or is not in the condition you expected. 

Scams can strike anyone at any time of the year. If you suspect that you or someone you know has become a victim of this scam or any other fraud, report it at once. You can file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form. We’ll share your complaint with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars. 

 

A new low: Imposter scams targeting nurses during COVID-19 

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For the past 18 month, nurses have been on the front lines of helping ease the suffering of millions of Americans infected by COVID-19. Tragic stories of nurses holding cell phones and iPads up so that family members can say goodbye to dying loved ones have been among the most heart-wrenching anecdotes to come out of the pandemic. While most Americans have celebrated the heroism of these frontline healthcare workers, scammer have seen something else: a vulnerable target. 

A string of reports from state attorneys general and other enforcement agencies detail how impersonation scams have sought to prey on nurses and other health care practitioners. The set-up in these scams tend to be similar: A nurse is contacted via email, phone, postal mail, or text message by someone claiming to be with the nurse’s state Board or Medicine. The scammer informs the victims that their medical licenses have been suspended and demands immediate payment to prevent this from happening. 

In other cases, the scammer claims to be an FBI or Drug Enforcement Administration agent and claims that the victim is under investigation for “money laundering,” “opioid distribution,” “drug trafficking,” or another crime. The impersonator then demands immediate payment as a “bond” pending further investigation. 

For nurses and other healthcare professionals, their license and reputation in the medical community is critical to allowing them to do their jobs. And at a time when healthcare workers are already facing immense stress dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers’ threats can be especially difficult to ignore. Scammers are also known to advise victims not to inform anyone else of the “investigation,” so as to avoid additional unpleasant consequences. 

Fraud.org is urging all nurses and healthcare workers to be aware of this scam and use the following tips to avoid falling victim: 

  • If you are concerned about the status of your medical license, contact your state’s Board of Nursing or other professional licensure agency independently to verify your status; 
  • Scammers are experts at making their communications appear to be credible, coming from a regulatory agency, law enforcement, state licensing board, or other official source. Caller ID information and email addresses are often “spoofed” to appear to be from such agencies. Some scammers have even used official watermarks on postal mail to make their claims look more convincing. 
  • Do not provide personal information (Social Security number, date of birth, etc.) or professional information (medical license number, DEA license number, etc.) in response to a phone call, email, or other unsolicited communication; 
  • If you receive a suspicious solicitation or other communication, make your healthcare colleagues aware. Scammers often target multiple victims in the same area or workplace. 
  • Any request for urgent payment, by someone claiming to be a law enforcement or regulatory agency is almost certainly a scam. Be especially wary of requests for payment via wire transfer, bank-to-bank transfer, P2P payment apps, or gift cards. 

If you suspect that you or someone you know has become a victim of this scam or any other fraud, report it at once. You can file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form. We’ll share your complaint with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars. 

 

Scammers impersonating the boss to swindle workers out of money

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With record numbers of people working from home due to COVID-19, scammers are capitalizing on the disconnect between employers and their employees. Last month, New York Attorney General Letitia James sounded the alarm about the “Boss Scam,” in which fraudsters are impersonating a real executive target employees and tricking them into purchasing gift cards under an array of scenarios. Posing as the boss, the scammers contact workers by phone or email,  and — feigning a work emergency — put pressure on the employees to act quickly.

The scam works because fraudsters assume their targets are more likely to engage with phishing emails sent from a familiar person in a position of authority. Posing as the boss also puts pressure on the worker, prompting them to act with a greater sense of urgency and — against normal better judgment — skip due diligence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that $2.3 billion has been lost to these kinds of email scams over the past three years. Scammers use public information from companies’ websites and LinkedIn profiles to personalize their communications and add legitimacy.  

One consumer in New York reported to Fraud.org that a scammer contacted her via phone claiming to have her boss on the other line. They then instructed her to purchase eight Google Play gift cards worth $100. The consumer purchased four in total before being warned it was likely a scam by a helpful cashier. A consumer in Texas was also contacted by someone telling him his boss was on the other line. The scammer impressed upon him that, if he did not pay quickly, his boss would be subject to expensive fees. The scammers instructed him to take the money from his cash register and put it into his personal bank account. The consumer then sent the scammer the money from his cash register and the entirety of his bank account, totaling $1,360, via MoneyGram. The scammers immediately took the money, and the victim was unable to get it back.

While it’s hard to push back at someone you think is your boss, here are some tips for spotting and avoiding this scam: 

  • Just because an email says it’s from your boss, it may not be. If you are in doubt about the authenticity of an email request, call your boss on the telephone and verify the request before taking any action.
  • Don’t click on links or attachments. Scammers may use attachments or links that look official (labeled as “invoices,” “purchase orders,” or some other official-sounding name) in order to install malware or take over a computer for ransomware attacks. 
  • Slow down and do your research. Scammers may use aggressive tactics like urging you to act quickly and threatening you with repercussions to your job. Slow the conversation down. Give yourself time to verify the information they provide and contact your employer on your own.  
  • Know that no legitimate business takes payment through gift cards. Money sent via these hard-to-track methods cannot be easily recovered. If someone calls you asking for payment via gift cards, it is almost certainly a scam. 

If you suspect that you or someone you know has become a victim of the “Boss Scam” or any other fraud, report it at once. You can file a complaint at Fraud.org via our online complaint form. We’ll share your complaint with our network of law enforcement and consumer protection agency partners who can investigate and help put fraudsters behind bars. 

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