Your Credit/Debit Card Has Been Deactivated

With many banks offering fraud alerts for credit and debit cards, it can be easy to fall for fake versions. Watch out for automated phone calls and text messages that claim your card has been deactivated. It's really an attempt to get you to share banking information.  

How the Scam Works:

You get a text message or automated phone call claiming that your credit, debit or ATM card has been deactivated. Reactivating your card is easy. You just need to call a customer service number and confirm some information. One commonly received message reads: "Your ATM card has been put on hold. Call Customer Department now 1-205-XXX-XXXX."

You dial the number given, and you get an on hold message.  The message to instructs you to enter your 16 digit credit card number. Don't do it. It's a scam! Share your card information, and you will open yourself up to credit card fraud.

Spotting This Scam:

These tips will help you spot and stop scam text messages:  

• Call your bank or check out their website. Find your bank's phone number on the back of your credit/debit card and call to confirm the status of your card. Don't call the phone number given in the text message.


• Ignore instructions to text "STOP" or "NO" to prevent future texts. This is a common ploy by scammers to confirm they have a real, active phone number.


• Forward the texts to 7726 (SPAM on most keypads). This will alert your cellphone carrier to block future texts from those numbers.


• Be familiar with your bank's communication methods: Did you sign up for text messages alerts? Be aware of how your bank communicates with you, because anything out of the ordinary may be a scam.  

Scam Alert -- Don't Click! Malaysian Airlines Teasers are Fakes

Fake Malaysian Airline News Used as Scam Click Bait The world is eager for news about the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. So eager, in fact, that scammers are taking advantage of our curiosity. Don't fall for click bait teasers promoting exclusive footage of found passengers. It sounds like a sick April Fool's joke, but it's a real scam. How the Scam Works:    You are on Facebook, and a post catches your attention. "Video of Malaysia MH370 Plane Found in Bermuda Triangle. Passengers alive," it teases. Another popular version promises: "[NEWS FLASH] Missing Plane Has Been Found!"   You click the link, thinking it leads to a news site. Instead, you are taken to an unfamiliar, third party website. A pop up may appear prompting you to "update your video player." But when you click "OK," you aren't getting a new software version. You are really downloading malware. Like all scams, this has many variations. Another common version asks you to take a survey before viewing the video. In the worst case, sharing your information can open you up to identity theft. Even more likely, your information will end up getting sold to spammers.   This scam is also not to limited Facebook. Watch out for similar links posted on Twitter, through other social media or sent by email.   Tips to Protect Yourself From "Click Bait" Scams:  Take the following steps to protect yourself and others from scam links shared through email and social media:  Don't take the bait. Stay away from promotions of "exclusive," "shocking" or "sensational" footage. If it sounds too outlandish (Bermuda Triangle, really?) to be true, it is probably a scam. Hover over a link to see its true destination. Before you click, mouse over the link to see where it will take you. Don't click on links leading to unfamiliar websites. Don't trust your friends' taste online. It might not actually be them "liking" or sharing scam links to photos. Their account may have been hacked. But it may also beclickjacking, a technique that scammers use to trick you into clicking something that you wouldn't otherwise (especially the Facebook "Like" button). On Facebook, report scam posts and other suspicious activity by following these instructions. On Twitter, if another user is sending you links to malware or other spam, report it to Twitter by following these instructions.

Scam Alert -- Don't Click! Malaysian Airlines Teasers are Fakes

Fake Malaysian Airline News Used as Scam Click Bait The world is eager for news about the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. So eager, in fact, that scammers are taking advantage of our curiosity. Don't fall for click bait teasers promoting exclusive footage of found passengers. It sounds like a sick April Fool's joke, but it's a real scam. How the Scam Works:    You are on Facebook, and a post catches your attention. "Video of Malaysia MH370 Plane Found in Bermuda Triangle. Passengers alive," it teases. Another popular version promises: "[NEWS FLASH] Missing Plane Has Been Found!"   You click the link, thinking it leads to a news site. Instead, you are taken to an unfamiliar, third party website. A pop up may appear prompting you to "update your video player." But when you click "OK," you aren't getting a new software version. You are really downloading malware. Like all scams, this has many variations. Another common version asks you to take a survey before viewing the video. In the worst case, sharing your information can open you up to identity theft. Even more likely, your information will end up getting sold to spammers.   This scam is also not to limited Facebook. Watch out for similar links posted on Twitter, through other social media or sent by email.   Tips to Protect Yourself From "Click Bait" Scams:  Take the following steps to protect yourself and others from scam links shared through email and social media:  Don't take the bait. Stay away from promotions of "exclusive," "shocking" or "sensational" footage. If it sounds too outlandish (Bermuda Triangle, really?) to be true, it is probably a scam. Hover over a link to see its true destination. Before you click, mouse over the link to see where it will take you. Don't click on links leading to unfamiliar websites. Don't trust your friends' taste online. It might not actually be them "liking" or sharing scam links to photos. Their account may have been hacked. But it may also beclickjacking, a technique that scammers use to trick you into clicking something that you wouldn't otherwise (especially the Facebook "Like" button). On Facebook, report scam posts and other suspicious activity by following these instructions. On Twitter, if another user is sending you links to malware or other spam, report it to Twitter by following these instructions.

You're on trial? Watch out for this email scam

Fake Court Summons Emails Carry Malware

Watch out for fake emails informing you that you are being summoned for a court appearance. The file attached to the fake email is actually malware. 

     

How the Scam Works:   

 

You receive an email with the subject line "Urgent court notice." The message says that you are being summoned to appear in court: "Hereby you are notified that you have been scheduled to appear for your hearing." It provides the date, time and location of the trial... but no details.

 

Want to find out why you are being summoned? The email urges you to download the attached "copy of the court notice" to find out. Don't do it! The attachment is malware that will infect your computer.

 

How to spot this scam: 

Courts do not typically summon people via email, text message or phone. Unless you are involved in a case and have opted into receiving email communications, courts normally communicate through mail.

Confirm with the court. If you ever question whether you need to appear in court, call the court system to check. Search for the phone number on the web; don't call a number in the email.

Watch out for variations. A similar scam tells victims that they missed or are being summoned for jury duty.

Ignore calls for immediate action. Scammers try to get you to act before you think by creating a sense of urgency. Don't fall for it.

 

Scam Alert -- Fooled by a fake funeral notice

Email users are increasingly savvy about spotting scam messages. So scammers are always on the hunt for new ways to evade the "delete" button. This scam email, disguised as a funeral notification, reaches a new low.



How the Scam Works:  

 

You receive an email with the subject line "funeral notification." The message appears to be from a funeral home in Texas, but it could be from anywhere. The email invites you of an upcoming "celebration of your friends life service." The email looks real. It uses the business's actual colors and logo.

 

The email instructs you to click a link to view the invitation and "more detailed information about the farewell ceremony." But instead of pointing to the funeral home's website, it sends you to a foreign domain. Scammers place malware on these third party websites that downloads to your computer, giving scammers access to information on your machine.



As usual, watch for scammers changing up this con. They may hijack a different funeral home's name and/or change their message.



Tips to Avoid Email Scams:



Spot common email scams no matter the circumstances, by following these tips:

Don't believe what you see. As in the example above, scammers can easily copy a real business' colors, logo and even email address.

Hover over links to check their source. Place your mouse over hyper-linked text and the true destination will appear.

Be wary of unexpected emails that contain links or attachments. As always, do not click on links or open the files in unfamiliar emails.

Beware of pop-ups. Some pop-ups are designed to look like they've originated from your computer. If you see a pop-up that warns of a problem that needs to be fixed with an extreme level of urgency, it may be a scam.

Watch for poor grammar and spelling. Scam emails often are riddled with typos.

Ignore calls for immediate action. Scam emails try to get you to act before you think by creating a sense of urgency. Don't fall for it.

Imposture Facebook Accounts Fool Friends

Fake Facebook profiles are a problem nearly as old as the social media site itself. Brands and celebrity pages are particularly prone to copies. But scammers also impersonate ordinary people in attempt to scam their friends and family. 

  

How the Scam Works:

 

You get a Friend Request. You don't have time to check out this new person, but you hit "accept" anyway. Or your privacy settings are pretty wide open and non-Friends can see your pages. Either way, the scammer uses the access to your account to scrape images and other information from your profile. He/she creates a new account under your same name and fills it with your photos, interests and status updates. With 500 million people on Facebook worldwide, you are unlikely to spot the impersonator. 

 

After creating a duplicate account, the scammer sends Friend Requests to your existing Facebook Friends. People recognize your name and hit "accept," not realizing that the account is a fake. They don't notice anything is wrong until your imposture starts sending out requests for money and spam links. 

 

Messages and links may be obvious scams when coming from an unknown email address, but they are a lot more credible when shared by a Facebook "Friend." Always be careful what you click, no matter who shares it. 

What to Do About Facebook Impostures:

Help combat fake Facebook accounts by taking the following steps: 

• Always double check Friend Requests: Don't just automatically click "accept" for new requests. Take a few moments to look over the profile and verify that account is a real person, not a scam. Scan your list of current Friends to see if any show up twice (the newer account is going to be the scam one).
• Don't blindly trust friends' recommendations: Just because a link or video is shared by a friend doesn't mean that it's safe to click. It could be a fake account, a hacker or merely that your friend hasn't done his or her research. 
• Watch for poor grammar: Scam Facebook posts are often riddled with typos and poor English. 
• Alert your friends: If your Facebook Friend suddenly starts posting links to work-at-home schemes or scandalous celebrity videos, tell him or her directly about the suspicious activity. Otherwise, they may never know that their account has been hacked/impersonated. 
• Report fake accounts to Facebook: Facebook does not allow accounts that are pretending to be someone else. Here are instructions on reporting them. 

Don't Fall For Fake Typhoon Haiyan Email Requests Scammers Emerge After Devastating Typhoon Haiyan

The scammers are at it again. With every horrific natural disaster, comes a despicable scammer who thinks they can make a quick buck off of the generosity of others. As the public's attention and hearts are focused on the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan, scammers are sending out fake messages claiming to be a victim of the disaster.

How the scam works:
Scam emails come in all shapes and sizes, but the message plea is always the same. The sender pulls at your heart strings and urges you to take action and help them get out of a dire situation. Most recently, Better Business Bureau has been made aware of the following fraudulent email pleading for assistance from the devastating typhoon.

"Good Day,

 Sorry for any inconvenience, but I'm in a terrible situation right now. I came down here to Manila Philippines for a program before the Typhoon happened which left me with almost nothing! My wallet and other valuables were stolen off last night by unknown thugs, leaving my passport and life safe. My luggage is still in custody of the hotel management pending when I make payment on outstanding bills I owe. I contacted my bank (E-mail) for a wire transfer but it has proven almost Impossible to operate my account from here as they made me understand international transactions take 7 working days to be effective I have also been to the police and embassy here, but they aren't helping issues, which i can't wait. I need you to help me with a loan to pay my hotel bills and get my self home. I will reimburse you soon as I get back Home. I will appreciate whatever you can assist me with. Let me know if you can be of help.

All hopes on you."

BBB Wise Giving Alliance has seen charity scams following all recent natural disasters and manmade tragedies, and encourages donors to balance their generosity with thoughtfulness and research. "Try to avoid making emotional giving decisions," says H. Art Taylor, President and CEO of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, "The first request for a donation may not be the best choice. Check with the BBB to help avoid questionable fundraising efforts."

Click here for a full list of donating mistakes to avoid. 

For More Information

 
Visit give.org for a full list of Charity Reports. To find out more about scams, check out BBB Scam Stopper.