I was snookered!

[WinterDeere]

I was almost snookered!

Got this email today...

Oh geez, I get that one a half dozen times every week.

A few mentions here of age and other issues regarding susceptibility to scams, so here's the number one rule to avoid all phishing scams:

1. Never click on any link in any email.

It's that simple. If you get an email from your bank, your credit card company, or any other company or association with which you are associated, assume there's a 50/50% chance it's a phishing scam. Your banking association is often obtainable, so it's easily possible a scammer knows which bank you use. Even if not, they can play the odds, as most of this country uses just a few (Wells Fargo, Citizens, BoA) banks.

When you get an email from your bank, your credit card company, even Facebook, don't click on it. Instead, open a fresh browser window, go to their site, and log in independently of the email. Check your notifications there, to see if there's a legit issue.

Furthermore, in many email clients, you can simply hover the mouse over the link, to see the URL toward which it is directing you. If it's not "www.wellsfargo.com", or whatever the link suggests, you know it's bogus.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I got call today that came up as potential spam. I didn’t answer and no message left.

 

[California]

It's not just the telemarketers ...

Wells Fargo hit again with billions in fines for unbelievable violations against consumers

On Tuesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that perennial example of corporate greed and corruption Wells Fargo has been ordered to pay out $1.7 billion in fines and another $2 billion in “redress to consumers.” This is after...

www.dailykos.com

 

[3Ts]

There really is no such thing as privacy anymore. I changed Medicare advantage plans this year to a new company. As part of setting up my online access there were some multiple choice security questions to answer...ones like "which county did you once live in" or "which of these streets is closest to your home address". I'd never done business with this company before, I have no idea how they knew this stuff.

It's that simple. If you get an email from your bank, your credit card company, or any other company or association with which you are associated, assume there's a 50/50% chance it's a phishing scam. Your banking association is often obtainable, so it's easily possible a scammer knows which bank you use. Even if not, they can play the odds, as most of this country uses just a few (Wells Fargo, Citizens, BoA) banks.

If you have not gotten your free credit report from the 3 Credit Reporting agencies, you really need to do so. You may be surprised as to what they have on you. They have a list of past addresses that you lived at, your bank(s), credit card info, etc. You can get one free from each agency once a year. For some reason you have to go to a website that links all 3 agencies and not via the agency's website though. Search for "free credit report". Also, if you are over xx age you can get it frozen for free (I don't remember the age) otherwise it will cost a few dollars to freeze it.