According to the 2017 BBB Scam Tracker Annual Risk Report, online purchase scams are now the riskiest type of consumer fraud. These cons often involve purchases and sales on direct seller-to-buyer sites such as eBay, Craigslist and Facebook’s Marketplace. Most online purchase scams occur when a payment is made online in exchange for a good…
New Law Makes Credit Freezes and Thaws Easier – and Free
Every few months it seems we hear about another major hack of consumer information. In the wake of these massive data breaches like Equifax in 2017, which exposed the personal information of millions of Americans, a new federal law will soon allow you to get credit protection, without paying a fee. In May, Congress passed…
Donors Should Support Established Disaster Relief Organizations
With Hurricane Florence bearing down on the southeast coast of the United States, BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Better Business Bureau advise donors that experienced disaster relief organizations offer the best possibility of providing emergency help for victims after a natural disaster. NBC News reported last week that the Make It Right Foundation, a charity…
Google Cracking Down on Phony Tech Support Ads
As scammers continue to exploit technology to find new victims, many companies are left trying to stay ahead of the latest tricks of the trade. This includes Silicon Valley giants like Google, which recently announced it is cracking down on misleading tech support advertisements. This comes after a report by the Wall Street Journal found…
Newer Cars are Like Smartphones. Treat Your Stored Personal Information the Same Way.
When we get a new phone, we are often told to clear the data off our old devices before trading them in, but what about our cars? Whether you are selling your car or returning a rental, it’s important to keep in mind what information is left behind. If you don’t, the next person in…
Facebook Removed 5,000 Ad Categories that Excluded Users Based on Religion, Race
In an effort to make its advertising platform less discriminatory, Facebook announced last week it had removed thousands of ad-targeting categories that excluded based on ethnicity and religion. “We’re committed to protecting people from discriminatory advertising on our platforms. That’s why we’re removing over 5,000 targeting options to help prevent misuse,” the company wrote in…
Instagram Users Report Accounts Being Hacked
Users of the popular social media platform, Instagram, appear to be getting caught up in a mysterious hacking epidemic that is locking them out of their accounts – and no one seems to know why. According to Business Insider, victims of the data breach say their login credentials are replaced with Russian e-mail addresses, effectively…
College Students More at Risk of Identity Theft
Better Business Bureau and Consumer Reports advise students heading back to school to take preventative measures to help protect their identities from being stolen. Identity thieves will often target college students because they have minimal transaction histories and have just started building their credit. The lack of history also makes it harder to pinpoint unusual…
Members of International Cybercrime Syndicate Arrested for Alleged Hacking of Several Popular Chain Restaurants
Several high-ranking members of an international cybercrime operation stand accused of stealing personal data from more than 15 million customers of popular restaurant and retail chains. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the three men – all operating out of Ukraine – were members of the prolific hacking group known as Fin7. The Justice…
Money lost to CEO scams hits $12.5 billion FBI says
According to the FBI’s Internet Complaint Center, or IC3, global losses due to business email compromise have exceeded $12.5 billion. The scam, also known as the CEO scam, targets both businesses and individuals performing wire transfer payments. The scam usually begins when fraudsters phish an executive of a company and gain access to that person’s inbox….
