Scammers prey on us at our most vulnerable. Although some of us are early holiday shoppers, others wait until the last minute. Scammers know this and are lurking to find late shoppers scrambling for gifts. Many late shoppers feel a bit desperate, so they are at risk of falling for scams that divert them to
scammers
Privacy Tip #382 – Beware of Fake Package Delivery Scams During Holiday Season
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
There are lots of package deliveries this time of year. When shopping online, companies are great about telling you when to expect the delivery of your purchase. Fraudsters know this and prey on unsuspecting victims especially during this time of year.
Scammers send smishing texts (smishing is just like phishing, but through a text), that…
Privacy Tip #368 – Delivery Drivers and Restaurants Targeted by Scams
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
It is so convenient now to order food from restaurants and have it delivered right to your door with delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats. Restaurants and delivery drivers depend on these services and orders to make a living. Unfortunately, according to the Federal Trade Commission, delivery drivers and restaurants are being targeted by…
Privacy Tip #354 – Scammers Use Weather Emergencies Against Victims
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
It has been difficult to watch the extreme weather patterns that have been happening around the U.S. over the past few months. Fires and torrential rainstorms in California, tornadoes down south, blizzards in the Midwest and New York, and a devastating hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. It is heartbreaking to see the devastation and…
Privacy Tip #351 – Stay Safe While Using Social Media
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
The Federal Trade Commission has estimated that 25 percent of social media users have been individually targeted by scammers, with losses totaling more than $770 million. Although the use of social media can be fun, it also poses risk to users.
Here is an article that gives a good analysis of the risks of using…
Data brokers settle with FTC for selling consumers’ information to scammers
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Enforcement + Litigation
SiteSearch, John Ayers, LeapLab and Leads Company (the defendants) settled with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for “knowingly provid[ing] scammers with hundreds of thousands of consumers’ sensitive personal information.”
SiteSearch will pay $4.1 million default judgment, while the other defendants’ monetary obligations are suspended based on inability to pay. Those defendants are prohibited from selling…