Tips, tricks and scam alertsks
Keeping Scams at Bay, Aisle by Aisle: Cheyenne and Laramie residents noticed signs at their local Walmart with anti-scam advice, particularly warning against scammers coaching victims on what to say during financial transactions to bypass security questions. This information, though not yet confirmed by an authoritative source, is considered valuable for anti-scam materials. The signs advise customers to be cautious if someone is instructing them on how to respond during transactions, suggesting it could be a scam tactic.
Sirius Scam: A Laramie citizen recently reported a suspicious email claiming to be from Sirius XM, titled "Your SiriusXM Membership has Expired." The sender's email address was oddly named "SiriusXM Expiration" with a questionable domain, [Many random letters]@clipboardfrenzy.com. The email, presented as an image, stated that the recipient's subscription had expired and urged them to update their profile to renew it. It also offered a 90-day extension for free as part of a loyalty program. The citizen, who almost fell for the scam due to having a legitimate subscription expiring soon, wisely refrained from clicking the provided link and flagged the email as fake. They received yet another suspicious email purportedly from SiriusXM, with the subject line "Here's Your Chance to Save Big with SiriusXM: Subscribe For $2/Year." Unlike the previous scam email, this one had a different address but still raised doubts about its authenticity. The citizen expressed concern over whether SiriusXM's security might have been compromised, leading to these fraudulent emails. CyberWyoming Note: This incident underscores the importance of scrutinizing sender details and email content to avoid falling victim to phishing scams.
Lost in Translation: A Wyoming citizen received an unmistakable scam email with the subject "Very important and I Appreciate your Personality" from "Cyriapto Cyriap Inc." with the sender's address ending in "@azelsan.tr.com". The obviously untrustworthy content of this email stated: “Hello Greetings Dear [recipient's name], Hope you all are doing well? I am Mr. Agus, from Ukraine. Please accept my apologies if my request does not meet your personal ethics as it is not intended to cause you any embarrassment in whatever form. I was well convinced through my mind that you are a Business-Oriented Mysterious person, I really Appreciate your Personality. Please can we be friends and have a discussion about business transaction that can be of benefit to both of us? Very important I will unveil and explain the full business transaction details to your understanding once I receive your response." CyberWyoming Note: In this case, it is obvious this email is a scam because it is unmistakably odd with horrendous grammar. However, it's always crucial to stay vigilant against any suspicious communications, never engaging or providing personal information, and reporting them immediately.
A “Prime” Phishing Attempt: A recipient reported a suspicious email with the subject line "Result Report Test - 3052242" supposedly from "Alerts | Prime's" but originating from a suspicious email address. Gmail flagged it as dangerous, warning about a suspicious link designed to steal personal information. The email also disabled attachment downloads, identifying it as phishing. The recipient recognized several of these red flags and reported it immediately. CyberWyoming Note: Always be cautious of emails from unfamiliar senders, especially those with generic or suspicious names. Never open attachments or click on links from unknown sources, as they could contain malware or lead to phishing scams.
Success in the Fight Against Cybercrime: The US Government has seized $5.25 million from six JPMorgan Chase bank accounts, alleging the money was stolen through a sophisticated fraud scheme. The US Justice Department's complaint states that a Massachusetts workers union was tricked into wiring $6.4 million to scammers after receiving a fraudulent email that appeared to be from their investment manager. The scammers then redirected some of the funds to cryptocurrency exchanges and other bank accounts. The DOJ claims the fraudsters used money mules to quickly move the funds between accounts to hide their origin. Prosecutors are seeking permanent forfeiture of the seized funds. This action underscores the serious threat of Business Email Compromise (BEC) fraud and the potential for recovery when victims report such crimes.
– Brought to you by The Daily Hodl
MS-ISAC and CISA Patch Now Alert: The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) or the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published a patch now (update your software) alert for VMware Products. If you use any of these products, make sure the software (or firmware) is updated.
Data Breaches in the News:
Santander Bank, Life360 - Tile Tracker, Ascension, Truist Bank, Bay Bridge, Toshiba, Keytronic, Globe Life, and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD).
Note: If you have an account with any of these companies, be sure to change your password and consider placing a credit freeze on your accounts through the three credit reporting agencies: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax.
Please report scams you may experience to phishing@cyberwyoming.org to alert your friends and neighbors.
Other ways to report a scam:
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Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker: www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us/reportscam
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Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection
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File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint
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Get steps to help at www.IdentityTheft.gov
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Report your scam to the FBI at www.ic3.gov
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Reported unwanted calls to the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call Registration. Online at https://www.donotcall.gov/report.html or call 1-888-382-1222, option 3
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Office of the Inspector General: https://oig.ssa.gov/
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If you believe someone is using your Social Security number, contact the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
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AARP Fraud Watch Network (any age welcome) Helpline 877-908-3360
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IRS: report email scams impersonating the IRS to phishing@irs.gov
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Call the Wyoming Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) for assistance with potential Medicare fraud, abuse, or errors at 1 800 856-4398
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Report computer or network vulnerabilities to US-CERT: 1-888-282-0870 or www.us-cert.gov. Forward phishing emails or websites to phishing-report@us-cert.gov.
Victim Support: The AARP Fraud Watch Network and Volunteers of America (VOA) created a new, free program to provide emotional support for people impacted by a scam or fraud, called ReST. Visit www.aarp.org/fraudsupport to learn more about the free program and register.