Tag Archives: Scammers

spam calls
Online Safety, How To, home, Tech Trends/Lifestyle

Block Unwanted Calls, Texts, and Email

By Tracey Dowdy

Recently, I’ve been getting non-stop text messages addressed to someone named Alyssa, who is on her “last chance” to renew her warranty. They are as annoying as they are relentless. I’ve blocked the number and deleted the text without opening it dozens of times. 

I’m not alone. According to YouMail, there were over 58 billion robocalls in 2019. The scams are almost as plentiful as the calls themselves – you’ve won a Caribbean vacation, your PC has a virus, your identity has been stolen, you’ve been selected for a unique opportunity, or won the lottery. You may even get messages purporting to be from a government agency like the IRS. However, the IRS will not call, email, or text you – they communicate almost exclusively through snail mail. 

Wireless carriers are using SHAKEN/STIR technology to identify and block spam calls, on both their respective networks and between phone providers. 

Software giants like Apple have added features that prevent unknown callers from ringing you. Google has made its Call Screen feature more robust by routing suspicious calls to Google Assistant before your phone even rings. When Android 11 is released, it will Include even more robocall identification and prevention features beyond the default Android Phone app. 

If you’re receiving a lot of spam text messages, not just calls, you can forward the message to the number 7726 (spells SPAM). Though it doesn’t immediately prevent the number from texting you, it will allow your carrier to investigate and possibly intervene.

There’s no way to block every spam or robocall, but the FCC suggests taking the following measures to limit the number of calls you receive. 

  • Don’t answer calls from numbers you don’t recognize – let them go to voicemail.
  • Don’t answer calls from blocked or unknown numbers – this tells scammers your number is real, and they can then sell your number to another company, or begin targeting your number more often. 
  • Don’t assume an incoming call is from a local number just because it looks like it is. “Spoofing” technology allows scammers to trick your caller ID into displaying false information like a local area code.
  • Don’t respond to any questions that can be answered with a “Yes.”
  • If someone calls you and claims to be with ABC company, hang up immediately. Use the company’s website to find an official number and call them to verify.
  • If you answer a call and hear a recording such as, “Hello, can you hear me?” hang up.
  • If you’re asked to press a number before being connected to a representative, hang up.

All the major carriers offer some form of call-blocking technology, some free, some fee-based.

AT&T’s Call Protect app is available for iOS and Android. 

Verizon’s Call Filter app is automatically enabled for Android users on a postpaid plan. It’s built into most Android devices out of the box and is available in the App Store for iOS users.

T-Mobile’s Scam ID is free to all customers and includes Scam Block. To enable it, dial #662# from your phone.  

Sprint’s Call Screener Basic was recently launched with a free option for its customers. 

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits, and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

home, Tech Trends/Lifestyle, Social Networking

Avoid COVID-19 Scams

By Tracey Dowdy

Seasons like the one we’re currently living in bring out the best in some and the worst in others. 

It’s nothing new for scammers to get creative during a national emergency – we’ve seen it happen time and again – and a global pandemic like COVID-19 is no exception. 

A recent release from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency offers great advice on how to avoid being scammed. 

Phishing. 

Any time an unsolicited email prompting you to click on an attachment hits your inbox it should raise a red flag. CISA recommends disabling automatic downloads for attachments. The problem is that not all email clients offer this, and each is different from another. Scammers know that in times like these, by pulling on your heartstrings or using language that increases your anxiety, you’re more likely to share sensitive or personal information, so they recommended taking the time to read Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks. Most importantly, never ever reveal personal or financial information in an email or respond to requests for it via email or text. It’s also smart to ensure any charity or cause you choose to donate to is legitimate. Sites like Charity Navigator, guidestar.org, and give.org can help you vet the charity before handing over and money 

Mobile Malware.

If you’re tracking COVID-19 news and information through an app, be aware that there are malware traps out there. Recently, a malicious Android app called CovidLock that purported to help users chart the spread of the virus instead locked and held many Android phones for ransom by hackers. DomainTools researcher Tarik Saleh states, “This Android ransomware application, previously unseen in the wild, has been titled ‘CovidLock’ because of the malware’s capabilities and its background story. CovidLock uses techniques to deny the victim access to their phone by forcing a change in the password used to unlock the phone. This is also known as a screen-lock attack and has been seen before on Android ransomware.”

Hackers have been using coronavirus-tracking map sites to inject malware into browsers and Market Watch reported that coronavirus-related website name registrations are 50% more likely to be from malicious actors. The best way to avoid this is by setting a password that can help protect you from a lock-out attack. And when it comes to choosing an app, shop the Google Play store so you’re less likely to download a malware-laced app. 

Beware Facebook Charity Groups 

It goes without saying, but there’s volumes of misinformation, fake cures, pseudo-science, and conspiracy theories being shared on social media, doing far more harm than good. Trust what the CDC says, not a theory posted by a guy you knew in high school who heard it from a friend of a friend who knows someone that talked to a guy working behind the scenes who can’t reveal his source.   By clicking the “about” section of a Facebook group, you can see whether that group has changed its name multiple times to reflect new national crises — a sure sign that the group is trawling for an audience rather than promoting reliable news. 

Here’s how to sift through the trash to find the treasure: 

  •  Trust only official sources on Twitter and Facebook including the accounts of trusted news sites and their reporters.  Avoid talking heads or people presenting opinion and theory as opposed to facts. 
  •  Before you click on a website that purports to be an official government site, check the URL to see if it ends in .gov. 

CISA’s has an official tip sheet to help you avoid being scammed during this challenging season.  

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.