MyTrendingStories suggests advices about scam avoidance today? The big picture: Welcome to “smishing,” which stands for “SMS phishing,” the text-message version of the lucrative email scam. In this ploy, scammers take advantage of the smart-phone revolution—hoping that a text message to your cell will make it less likely you’ll investigate the source, as you might do while sitting at your desk. Since many banks and businesses do offer text-message notifications, the scam has the air of legitimacy. Shirena Parker, a 20-year-old newlywed in Sacramento, California, was thrilled when she got a text message announcing she’d won a $250 Wal-Mart gift card. When she called the number, a representative explained there would be a $2 shipping charge (later upped to $4 by another “representative”). Parker gave the scammer her debit card number and started getting round-the-clock calls from him, asking for the phone numbers and emails of friends and family. “It was turning into harassment,” she says. After two days, she contacted the Better Business Bureau, which told her that Wal-Mart was not giving away gift cards. Hearing that, Parker’s husband canceled their debit card before the con could empty the account but not before he had helped himself to the $4 “shipping” charge. “I don’t know how they got my name and phone number,” says Parker. “But I learned my lesson.” Scammers can even reach you by mail–beware of this new trick that targets pregnant women.
Live news by Mytrendingstories.com online publishing: Use Google to research the company. Search by the company name to see what information you can find. (If the company won’t give you a name, don’t bother applying.) Take it one step further and search by “company name scam” to see if you can find information about reported scams. Get the Job Details: If it isn’t listed in the job posting, try to find out if there’s a salary or if you’re paid on commission. Ask how much you’re paid, how often you are paid, and how you are paid. If the company doesn’t pay an hourly rate or a salary, carefully investigate the details. Check with organizations like the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission to see if the company has been reported as a scammer. If the company is a fraud, another job seeker may have reported them.
Mytrendingstories anti-scam advice: “The phone scams keep on coming — here are tips on how to avoid them” was the headline of a recent Boston Globe consumer protection column. Tips to avoid scams? Nice in theory, but with so many scams coming from so many directions, your best bet is to be generally aware of the new twists out there while you actively prepare for what you’ll do if one day you’re on the receiving end of a threatening message that actually makes you anxious or even terribly frightened. Talking to a local businessperson the other day, the “Professional Photographer/Copyright Infringement” scam came up. An email arrives filled with threats of legal action and a link the recipient is supposed to click to see the supposedly outrageous “copyright infringement” for themselves. This gentleman had just gotten the “Professional Photographer/Copyright Infringement” email again that morning, but he was not alarmed because he’d seen it about three times before. Discover additional information at mytrendingstories scams.
MyTrendingStories shows how to defeat scams: Consider travel insurance. Duquesnel said sites like Vrbo allow you to buy insurance. If you get to the rental and find out you were scammed, Vrbo will work to find some place comparable as quickly as possible if you have the insurance. If you’ve been searching online for vacations and all of a sudden get a text on your phone about a great deal, ignore that. Duquesnel said that’s called “smishing.” Scammers somehow get your number and try to woo you in order to get your credit card information. Don’t fall for it. Check out the BBB’s website for reviews and complaints and use their scam tracker to report any problems. Sound the alarm if a retailer asks you for a wire transfer, a money order or a gift card as payment for your order. In this case, it’s likely that your money will fall directly into the pocket of a scammer and you won’t receive anything for the money you paid. If you want to protect yourself, always pay with a credit card or other secure forms of payment, according to the Better Business Bureau.
What To Do If You Think You’re The Victim Of A Scam: If you suspect that you are a victim of a scam, alert your local sheriff’s department to make a report. Secure all your bank accounts. Call the number on the back of your bank card to explain why you suspect you may be experiencing fraud, and they will walk you through the next steps to take. The faster you act, the more likely you are to resolve the issue. For online victims, change all passwords immediately. Contact the three major credit bureaus to have a fraud alert placed on your account, adding a security freeze. Scams no longer target just the gullible. They still come in letters, texts and calls, but more crooks are now looking online for the chance to get their hands on your hard-earned cash. There are increasingly sophisticated ways scammers try to target YOUR cash. This guide explains what to look out for, how to protect yourself, and what to do if you’re a victim of a scam. Find additional details on Mytrendingstories.