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Showing #scams articles:
May 22, 2023 | posted by Conner Williams #education #tips #scams
Scammers continue to evolve their methods in the hopes of getting people to fall for their schemes, and sometimes they can be hard to spot. But one telltale sign of a scam is when someone asks you to pay for a service or help with a gift card. They might say to put money on a certain kind of...
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Feb 15, 2023 | posted by Conner Williams #education #scams #tips #security
A new favorite tactic of scammers is to try and convince you that one of your accounts has been suspended and that you need to take action to regain access or lift the suspension. The image above is from an email recently received by a DirectLink staff member that says, in rather poor grammar,...
By Kira Krown, Federal Trade Commission Consumer Education Specialist
Dec 12, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #education #scams #ftc-article
Article courtesy of the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice blog Looking for a New Year’s resolution? Here’s one for you: Keep your hard-earned money safe from scammers by spotting and avoiding gift card scams. Then help others spot and avoid them, too. Scammers want you to pay with gift...
By Kira Krown
Oct 19, 2022 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article
Did Spectrum or another provider call with an offer to lower your monthly TV, cable, or internet bill in exchange for a pre-payment or fee? It wasn’t them. It was a scammer, and you’re not alone. This year, the FTC has gotten thousands of reports — including many from older adults — about...
Oct 18, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #community #email #scams
❗ Amazon scam alert ❗ The holidays are approaching, and folks are making more purchases online. Scammers take this opportunity to do what they do: try to trick you into giving up your money or personal information. Be on the lookout for scam emails from seemingly-reputable organizations,...
By Gema de las Heras, Federal Trade Commission
Aug 16, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #news #scams #education #security #ftc-article #tips
Sorry to burst your bubble. That unexpected text from the Postal Service (USPS), Costco, or The Home Depot telling you about an unclaimed package or a survey you can complete to claim a freebie is NOT from them. It’s a scam. The FTC has seen a spike in reports from people getting text messages...
Aug 11, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #news #scams #education #security #ftc-article
It’s never a good time to have your utilities shut off. But during the hot summer months, the threat of having no power can be especially miserable: no AC, no refrigerator, not even a fan. Scammers know this and will try to trick you into sending them money to keep your electricity on. But there...
By Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum
Aug 4, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #education #security #news
Have you received an email with the subject line "Thank you for your purchase!" that looks like it came from McAfee, a computer security software company? The email claims your account has been “re-approved” and your credit or debit card was charged hundreds of dollars. At the very end of the...
By Alvaro Puig, Federal Trade Commission
Aug 4, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #news #scams #education #security
Courtesy of the Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Advice Blog Selling stuff online can be a great way to make some extra cash. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other sites attract a lot of buyers — and scammers. Here are some ways scammers try to cheat you and what to do about it. Fake...
May 31, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #robocalls #news #scams
The DirectLink Tech Support Team has received several calls from members today, May 31, reporting that they had been called by robocall scammers posing as Amazon. Be on the lookout for calls like these - their goal is to get you to give up your personal or banking information. It's important to...
By Colleen Tressler
May 19, 2022 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article
Scammers exploiting the high demand for baby formula have sunk to new lows. They’re popping up online and tricking desperate parents and caregivers into paying steep prices for formula that never arrives. Scammers may set up fake websites or profiles on social media platforms with...
By Andrew Rayo
May 16, 2022 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article
With technology, it’s easier than ever to connect with others and people are just a click or call away. Nobody knows that better than scammers — who might try to contact you about a supposed virus or malware they’ve “found” on your device. So, during this Older Americans Month, remember —...
By Conner Williams
Mar 31, 2022 | posted by Jason Nugent #community class #scams
Thursday, March 31 at 10AM and 7PM Scammers are getting smarter. New computer technology and software make it easier to crack passwords. Companies constantly face the threat of data breaches exposing the personal information of their customers and employees. As more and more of our daily...
By Amy Hebert, Federal Trade Commission
Jan 4, 2022 | posted by Conner Williams #ftc-article #scams
In the past 18 years of the National Do Not Call Registry , those of you signed up for the registry (244 million phone numbers right now) have reported millions upon millions of unwanted sales calls over the years. Here’s a quick look at what you’ve reported this year at DoNotCall.gov about the...
By Alvaro Puig
Dec 27, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #ftc-article #scams
It’s Cyber Security Awareness month, so the tricks scammers use to steal our personal information are on our minds. If there’s one constant among scammers, it’s that they’re always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. Have you heard about it? Here’s how it works....
By Cristina Miranda, Federal Trade Commission
Dec 21, 2021 | posted by Conner Williams #ftc-article #scams
According to the newest Data Spotlight , 40,000 people reported losing a whopping $148 million in gift cards to scammers during the first nine months of 2021. Those are staggering numbers that have increased each year for the past several years. Since 2018, gift cards have been the most...
By Emily Wu
Dec 15, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article
If you have a federal student loan, you probably already know that the Coronavirus emergency relief program that has paused your payments is ending. Repayments will begin again after January 31, 2022. Scammers know it, too, and are looking for ways to take advantage: they’re calling, texting,...
Dec 8, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article
Many people have gotten their advance Child Tax Credit payments this year, but scammers are taking advantage of this new program to try to trick you out of money or information. They’re pretending to be the IRS, contacting people by phone, text, email, and social media — and sending people to...
By Ari Lazarus, Federal Trade Commission
Nov 30, 2021 | posted by Conner Williams #ftc-article #scams
As we wrap up National Caregiver Month, the FTC wants to recognize all the incredible work that caregivers like you do every day. The work is seen and unseen and helps people in both physical and emotional ways. We know caregiving can be tough on your finances, too. So if you’re looking for a...
By Maria Mayo
Oct 28, 2021 | posted by Conner Williams #scams
Has Amazon contacted you to confirm a recent purchase you didn’t make or to tell you that your account has been hacked? According to the FTC’s new Data Spotlight , since July 2020, about one in three people who have reported a business impersonator scam say the scammer pretended to be Amazon....
By Rosario Méndez
Every year, charity regulators from around the word get together to raise awareness about charity fraud. The FTC joins this effort again this year because it’s so important to know how to spot a charity scam. The more you know, the less likely you’ll donate to a bogus charity. Better yet, you’ll...
By Bridget Small
As last week's annual report to Congress makes clear, the safety of older consumers in the marketplace is a priority for the FTC. Protecting Older Consumers 2020 – 2021: A Report of the Federal Trade Commission summarizes the agency’s ongoing law enforcement efforts, new research results, and...
By Carly Johnson
Oct 13, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams
Have you seen ads on social media that offer to “help” you sign up for a government program that will give you a “free” device and internet service in exchange for money or personal information? While there is a real government program to help people connect during the pandemic, there’s no...
Aug 16, 2021 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #education #announcements #news #email
We have received reports of an email scam targeting DirectLink members that seeks to gain access to sensitive payment information. If you receive an email that looks like the image above, do not click on any of the links in the message – this is a scam email. The fake email claims that...
By Lisa Lake
Jun 17, 2021 | posted by Charlie Mouy #scams #ftc-article
Instead of telling you a ghost story around a summer campfire, we have an all-too familiar tale to share: Myra’s grandson, Jon, is in Mexico for the summer. They video chat every week. One day, Myra gets a call from someone who says he’s Max, a friend of Jon’s: “He was arrested last night and...
By Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press
Jun 3, 2021 | posted by Charlie Mouy #scams #email
Recently, there has been a spike from scammers pretending to represent Fraud Departments of well-known organizations such as Chase, the Social Security Administration and Amazon to name a few. There are many variations of the scam, but it might start out as an email or text with a warning...
Jun 3, 2021 | posted by Charlie Mouy #scams #tips
Amazon scam calls have surged significantly over the past few months. Consumers are now regularly receiving anywhere between 100 million and 150 million robocalls per month from fraudsters claiming to be with Amazon, according to YouMail, which has a robocall blocking app. Some of those...
May 20, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article #tips
Have you gotten a recorded phone message from “Susie” with the “Vehicle Service Department” calling about your vehicle warranty? That’s, like, so retro. But fanny packs, scrunchies, and tie dye are back — and so are vehicle warranty robocalls. It starts when you pick up a call and hear a...
May 18, 2021 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #company information
Have you ever received a text message or an email that looks or feels a little suspicious? Maybe it came from an odd email or number you don’t know, or there are several misspelled words throughout. And why does a prince halfway across the globe want to give you his $100 million inheritance...
May 13, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article
Unwanted calls are annoying. They can feel like a constant interruption — and many are from scammers. Unfortunately, technology makes it easy for scammers to make millions of calls a day. So this week, as part of Older Americans Month, we’re talking about how to block unwanted calls — for...
Mar 19, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article
Lots of people are having trouble sleeping, thanks to the pandemic and all the parts of our lives it’s affecting. And it doesn’t help when you get a call saying you owe the government money. Oh, and, they add, you’ll go to jail if you don’t pay up immediately. That’s a scam, and nothing to lose...
Mar 12, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #ftc-article
The pandemic has caused financial distress because of lost jobs, income, and homes, and emotional distress because of social isolation. This week, during National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), we want your help to reach people who might be a bit cut off from their social network. The FTC...
Feb 9, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #email
We have received reports of an email scam targeting DirectLink members that seeks to gain access to sensitive email login information. If you receive an email that looks like the image below, do not click on any of the links in the message – this is a scam email. The screenshot below shows in...
Jan 4, 2021 | posted by Jason Nugent #scams #email #announcements
We have received reports of an email scam targeting DirectLink members that seeks to gain access to sensitive payment information. If you receive an email that looks like the image below, do not click on any of the links in the message – this is a scam email. The fake email...
Dec 4, 2020 | posted by Jason Nugent #news #scams
We are receiving reports from members about fake calls from Apple and Amazon trying to scam them. The FTC has an article out describing these scams and providing information on what you should do. For the most part, just hang up and ignore, but view the article from the FTC here for more...
May 13, 2019 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #news #email
Several of our members have made us aware of a scam email message from a sender posing as DirectLink. The sender name appears as “DirectLink”, but the email address does not match any of our company addresses that we use to communicate with members. The message asks the recipient to...
May 7, 2019 | posted by Conner Williams #scams #news
Be on the lookout for the latest robocall scam that rings once and aims to get people to call the number back. It spoofs caller ID and looks like it's coming from a nearby number, but actually originates outside of the United States, creating the possibility of excessive long distance charges....
By Gene de Vore
May 23, 2018 | posted by Jason Nugent #community class #scams #video
Welcome to DirectLink's second Community Class of 2018! In the ever-evolving online world, it can sometimes be tough to know what content is safe and what can put your identity at risk. Data Operations Manager Gene de Vore takes us through some best practices for browsing the...
By Jason Nugent
Feb 15, 2018 | posted by Jason Nugent #news #scams
There is a new scam email floating around, and the scammer is attempting to masquerade as DirectLink (or Web-Ster in the example below) in order to gain the confidence of potential victims. DO NOT CLICK on any links within the email or reply to it. Our engineering team is already working on a...
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