Tech Matters: How to spot fall’s top scams | News, Sports, Jobs

To everything there is a season and scams are no exception. While many believe that older adults are more likely to fall prey to scams, the pandemic gave scammers an opportunity to target all ages as people spent a record amount of time online. In fact, the Better Business Bureau reported that in 2021, scammers were able to bring the median loss per scam for adults ages 18 to 24 to the same level — $150 — as it was for those 65 and older.

However, the fall season brings with it two big scams targeted largely to retirees, along with those for any age. First, fraudulent Medicare-related phishing emails rise in popularity during the enrollment period, which this year is from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. If you or someone you know qualifies for this target group, be on the lookout for emails that appear to come from Medicare. The message will say that to get a rebate or reap extra benefits, you must update your account or resolve “a problem” with your account by clicking a link and supplying the requested information.

Do not click on a link until you’ve verified that it indeed goes to the relevant government website. Use your cursor to hover over the link and look in the bottom left corner of your screen to see the actual URL. If it is anything other than a simple medicare.gov address, it is likely a fraudulent website. It is far safer to visit the Medicare website from your browser, set up your account and access services securely by logging into your account.

Veterans Day is an important holiday not just for those who have served their country, but for scammers as well. All veterans should be skeptical of any email asking them to update personal or financial information. You may also see fake charity online ads looking for donations in support of veterans and special deals for veterans. Never click on these types of ads. If you want to give to a charity, go directly to its website. Make sure deals are offered by reputable companies and visit the website from a new browser tab — if it’s a real deal, you’ll see it there.

While you can find the Geek Squad scam throughout the year, September saw a steep rise in reported scams that has continued this month and will likely persist through the holidays as consumers add new devices to their inventories. This phishing scam is designed to trick you into thinking that you’ve placed an order for a one-year subscription for Geek Squad or that your nonexistent annual membership has been renewed.

Here’s one version of the email: “Your Subscription with GEEK SQUAD will Renew Today and $389.99 is about to be Debited from your account by Today. The Debited Amount will be reflected within the next 24. In case of any further clarifications or block the auto-renewal service please reach out Customer Help Center.” You can be sure that the sense of urgency combined with the near $400 amount to be debited are enough to panic recipients into calling the support line where a helpful fraudster will be more than happy to collect personal information from you. Alternatively, you might be asked to click on a link that will lead you to a malicious website where malware could be installed on your device. It’s best to delete these emails immediately. If you receive a call instead, just hang up.

Note that the email text contains many of the red flags associated with scams: poor grammar, incorrect punctuation, an unrealistically short timeframe to respond before the unwanted action takes place, and a subscription price that is nearly twice Best Buy’s actual cost for a one-year tech support plan to Best Buy totaltech, the real name of the service.

Two more scams are making the rounds with no end in sight. The modern day Nigerian prince who wants to give you a fortune has morphed into cryptocurrency scams that promise huge returns on your investment in ridiculously short time periods. Cryptocurrency phishing emails may be embedded with fake links that take you to a fake crypto trading website that looks identical to a legitimate one where you’re asked for personal information or may pick up malware just by visiting.

Finally, watch for job scams that may be in the form of a message on LinkedIn or other social media site, or as a typical phishing email. Look for the red flags and always vet the sender before responding. If the offer sounds too good to be true — work from home, high pay, no experience needed — you can be sure it’s a fake.

Leslie Meredith has been writing about technology for more than a decade. As a mom of four, value, usefulness, and online safety take priority. Have a question? Email Leslie at asklesliemeredith@gmail.com

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