Scams - Through the Computer
Some scams are old fashion, like the first scam (postal mail) that we talked about in the last article. Scammers are always coming up with new ways to trick people into giving them money or personal information. Another common scam to watch out for is the computer tech scam, where scammers pretend to be from a well-known company and say they have detected a problem with your computer and they need remote access to fix it. Never give anyone you don't know and trust remote access to your computer. Romance scams also occur on dating apps and social media platforms. Scammers use fake online profiles to engage victims, stir up romantic feelings, and then ask for money. Lastly, be wary of phishing scams, which are official-looking emails, ads, or pop-up messages that try to trick you into clicking on a link. Stay vigilant, protect your personal information, and never give out personal information or money to someone you don't know.
Calls from Computer Tech Support
Will pose as a computer tech from a well-known company
What they say or do: They say they have detected a problem with your computer and they need to fix it. All they need is remote access to run a test and fix the issue.
They will then either ask you to pay for the “fake fix” or worst they can then install a virus on your computer
NEVER GIVE ANYONE YOU DON’T KNOW AND TRUST REMOTE ACCESS TO YOUR COMPUTER.
Even if they didn’t ask for a credit card to pay for the “fix” they could have access to everything on your computer including any banking information.
What should you do?
Hang up immediately or just tell them you don’t even have a computer. Companies are not monitoring your computer (and shouldn’t be). Most of the time I don’t answer or if I do I hang up. A few times I’ve told them, oh yes, please fix it, but which computer is the issue on? I have multiple computers and of course, they have no idea what computers you have. I don’t recommend talking to them, but sometimes I just can’t resist and at the end, I usually tell them they should be ashamed and did their mother know what they are doing.
Romance Scams:
A sweetheart scam is when a person uses a fake online profile to engage victims and befriends you to stir up romantic feelings and ask for money.
Through Dating apps (match.com, our time, silver singles etc,) or Facebook and other apps they try to friend you. I’ve seen this numerous times where you may comment on something and months later a scammer will ask that you “friend” them because you seem like such a nice person, or you have something in common with them. I had one bold person ask me to friend them and the post he was commenting on was about my wedding anniversary and a picture of myself and my husband. I’m on a Goldendoodle site and it is a public site. It is getting so bad that several people have left the site because if you comment on any post you get a reply asking for you to friend them. There is also a new scam where scammers post a lost dog that has been hurt and they are desperately seeking the owners. They ask that you share the information. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says once the heartbreaking post gets enough shares, scammers use a bait-and-switch tactic. The lost pet, missing child, or whatever sad story they posted is edited into a deceptive rental ad or sometimes to a link pointing to a survey that guarantees a cash prize. Now, your friends believe you recommended that content. These bait-and-switch ads aim to either get a deposit for a rental property before the renter gets a chance to see the home or get your personal information, which could lead to identity theft. Or they may target you in other scams because they believe you are caring and an easy target.
Online dating scams may start out innocuously, with a random match on a dating app or an unexpected friend request on Facebook or Instagram. They may reach out and seem kind, attentive, and genuinely interested in you. Their profile may be plastered with images of an attractive, well-dressed person. In my case, they always seem to be doctors or in military uniforms and send random friend requests or comments on an old post asking me to send them a friend request. Can you say, REPORT, BLOCK & DELETE?
Losses related to sweetheart scams reached $304 million in 2020 - that’s a 50% increase from 2019 and adults age 70+ lost an average of $9,475.80 according to the FTC Consumers Sentinel Database.
A friend of mine tells of a story where her father lost $450 through a romance scam. He would not listen to his daughter even though she often does seminars on Senior Scams. The father sent this person the money to fly to his city so they could meet in person. When he never heard back from her he realized his daughter had been correct. It was fortunate that was all he lost. Another friend just showed me, someone, she knew that lost $500,000 including her home. No matter how lonely you are please don’t fall for these scams.
Phishing scams are official-looking emails, ads, or pop-up messages. NEVER click on a link that you are not familiar with and even if it comes from a friend check with them to make sure they sent you something that has a link.
Conclusion
Scammers are constantly developing new ways to trick people into giving them money or personal information. One common scam to watch out for is the computer tech scam, where scammers pretend to be from a well-known company and say they have detected a problem with your computer and need remote access to fix it. Never give anyone you don't know and trust remote access to your computer. Another scam to be aware of is romance scams on dating apps and social media platforms. Scammers use fake online profiles to engage victims, stir
romantic feelings, and ask for money. Additionally, be wary of phishing scams, which are official-looking emails, ads, or pop-up messages that trick you into clicking on a link. Stay vigilant, protect your information, and never give personal information or money to someone you don't know. The following article will discuss another common scam tactic used on seniors: The Phone call. Many seniors believe they must answer the phone; they may be lonely and willing to talk to anyone.