Since we review the email scam in its many forms a very obvious question comes to mind. How many times a day are we subjecting ourselves to scams? One can argue that every time we open our email we subject ourselves to potential dangers.
Being subjected to online scams once meant that when we sat down at our computers and opened our email we had to be on guard. With the many advancements in smart phones we tend to check our email almost every minute of the day. Stop and consider how many times you check your email. Between your phone, your computer, and your tablet you can potentially be exposed to dangerous emails over 20 times a day.
If you are a “connected” person you have to be aware of all scams in their many forms. Check back with us to discover the latest scams and how they can infiltrate your inbox and life. Staying informed is the best tool to stay aware from scams. Your email is your lifeline to your friends, family, and career. Understanding what emails are there to help and what emails are there to hurt will safeguard all of your technology and your personal information.
Tags: computer, email scam, smart phone, tablet
The only thing worse than spam in your email box is spam with an attachment. That attachment could translate into a disaster for your computer and even worse, your personal information.
An attachment from an unknown source (even one that is posing as a friend) has the potential to harm your computer. Attachments can contain malware, spyware, or a virus that can download and “work” on your computer without your knowledge. Most victims of malware or spyware have no idea that they are actually a victim.
The most important thing you can do to protect you and your computer is to run a regular scan. Many companies offer scans at a reasonable price. On your search you should check to see if the company will offer you solutions for any problems, malware, viruses, or spyware the scan detects.
Part of the problem is to detect the issue and the other part of the problem is to solve and delete any unwanted programs or files. This may seem overwhelming, so make sure you take the time to find a reputable company that can walk you through the process.
Most importantly, don’t download any attachments from sources you aren’t familiar with!
Tags: attachment, computer, malware, spyware, virus
When you see as many scams as I do there is a point when you become desensitized by the details. They all seem to come with some type of “hook” that plays on the victims personal feelings our experiences. By that, I mean the dialog about the death of a family member, being stranded without assistance, offering large sums of money, and apparently pets. Yes that is right, I said pets.
I have yet to see one myself, but supposedly there are several emails sent in which the scammer claims to need information on your pet. That information, of course, involves some of your personal information too. Again, I have yet to see one in print, but I am now searching for any documentation on this kind of pet scam. This just leads me to wonder, what will be next?! At some point the scammer has to evolve and consider other angels to try and get your information or money. What will it be next?!
As always, be careful what you read and what you respond to. In general you should never share your personal information with a stranger. Don’t email, don’t call! Just play it safe and it delete!
Tags: computer, email scam, pets, scam, spam, unread messages
Today marks a unique day in which we receive an email variation we have never, ever seen before. We recently got an email from a man named Hoecker Moreb, a man that we obviously do not know. The subject line was quick, simple, and down right creepy. It read, “Your Wife Photos Attached”. Clue one… improper English.
Immediately, we became suspicious and of this obvious piece of spam. After clicking on the email we again found a similar quick, simple, and extremely creepy line. The only text inside the body of the email read, “Your wife photos”. The only other thing the email contained was a zip download. And, there we go! Wow, who wants to be the first to guess what that zip folder is? Can you say MALWARE!?!? And to think, Hoecker thought he could trick us!
Now, kudos to the scammer for freaking us out so much that we immediately had to click on the email. And, kudos to us for reconizing the potential dismise we would of faced if we downloaded the attachment. Crash! As we mentioned before, scammers will try to take any angle to get you to download a virus, malware, or send back personal information.
Tags: computer, email scam, malware, new scam, wife photos
Proof of what a bad email can do!
Tags: computer, shut down
