Tag Archive for: Scams

How to protect yourself from these common Social Security scams

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Social Security fraud now constitutes the top scam in the U.S. The Federal Trade Commission said it has received nearly 1.3 million reports of scammers posing as government agents since 2014, more than any other type of fraud reported in that time frame. In the first three months of 2019, nearly 65,000 incidents of attempted scams were reported and almost all of them involved someone pretending to be from the Social Security Administration.

 These scammers create a sense of fear or urgency in their victims, either by warning them of a catastrophe—like imminent loss of benefits—or by offering to help with something they need—like a medical device. They make it sound as if there’s no time for the victim to check out their claims.

 The Social Security Administration is fighting back, and in late 2019 unveiled a new online form to help people report suspected fraud. But just as consumers have to create habits around other kinds of security, locking their doors and hiding their passcodes, they need to guard against the threat from Social Security scammers to them and to their loved ones.

If thieves get hold of your Social Security number, they can use that to get medical care under your name, which you can be billed for and may affect your health insurance. They can open credit or banking accounts in your name, file for a tax refund, or steal your government benefits. You may not know any of this is happening until the thieves’ creditors start demanding money or until you are notified that “you” have violated some law or regulation. 

Consequently, it’s important to make a habit of monitoring your accounts, including bank accounts, investment, and credit card accounts, and your online Social Security account. Where possible, set up alerts so that you will be notified when there’s unusual activity. And when you see something strange, follow up. The longer a thief is able to use your identity before you detect it, the more damage they may do.  

Here are some of the more common ways scammers are trying to gain access to Social Security accounts:  

Hacking into your Social Security account

One way scammers steal Social Security funds is to hack into someone’s…

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Two Charged in SIM Swapping, Vishing Scams — Krebs on Security

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Two young men from the eastern United States have been hit with identity theft and conspiracy charges for allegedly stealing bitcoin and social media accounts by tricking employees at wireless phone companies into giving away credentials needed to remotely access and modify customer account information.

Prosecutors say Jordan K. Milleson, 21 of Timonium, Md. and 19-year-old Kingston, Pa. resident Kyell A. Bryan hijacked social media and bitcoin accounts using a mix of voice phishing or “vishing” attacks and “SIM swapping,” a form of fraud that involves bribing or tricking employees at mobile phone companies.

Investigators allege the duo set up phishing websites that mimicked legitimate employee portals belonging to wireless providers, and then emailed and/or called employees at these providers in a bid to trick them into logging in at these fake portals.

According to the indictment (PDF), Milleson and Bryan used their phished access to wireless company employee tools to reassign the subscriber identity module (SIM) tied to a target’s mobile device. A SIM card is a small, removable smart chip in mobile phones that links the device to the customer’s phone number, and their purloined access to employee tools meant they could reassign any customer’s phone number to a SIM card in a mobile device they controlled.

That allowed them to seize control over a target’s incoming phone calls and text messages, which were used to reset the password for email, social media and cryptocurrency accounts tied to those numbers.

Interestingly, the conspiracy appears to have unraveled over a business dispute between the two men. Prosecutors say on June 26, 2019, “Bryan called the Baltimore County Police Department and falsely reported that he, purporting to be a resident of the Milleson family residence, had shot his father at the residence.”

“During the call, Bryan, posing as the purported shooter, threatened to shoot himself and to shoot at police officers if they attempted to confront him,” reads a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. “The call was a ‘swatting’ attack, a criminal harassment tactic in which a person…

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Four Days to the Election— Don’t Fall for These Phishing Scams

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With the Presidential election just a few days away, bad actors are ramping up their efforts to lure in victims with phishing attacks designed to harvest credentials and personal information that could lead to the next large-scale breach. The threat is so prevalent that the Better Business Bureau, the Identity Theft Resource Center and the National Association of State Election Directors have all issued warnings to the general public.

Election-related phishing attacks can surface across channels in various formats, and the unsuspecting user can be caught off-guard. Phishing is the number one cause of breaches, and all the major breaches in 2020 started with phishing. Successful phishing attacks start with a compelling message, and elections are great for cybercriminals because the message is targeted to elicit an emotional response to prompt action. Here are a few examples:

  •  Surveys and polls:Bad actors may send an email or post an ad on a social channel asking voters to take a survey or participate in a poll. This is a good way to collect personally identifiable information (PII) such as social security numbers. Emails requesting that you confirm your status as a registered voter to take a poll are particularly suspect.
  • Petitions:It’s common to be passionate about political issues and have a desire to initiate change. Fraudsters play on this natural instinct and send bogus petition requests, asking you to offer up personal information.
  • Donation requests:Like petitions, online requests for money to support an important cause or specific candidate can be fraudulent. Fraudsters may pose as campaign volunteers and ask for credit card numbers and other personal information to complete the donation. They may even impersonate candidates using pre-recorded audio to lure you in. (Screen 1)
  • Registration scams: In the U.S., it is not possible to vote by phone, email, or text — but that doesn’t stop scammers from trying to convince you it isn’t. (Screen 2)

Malicious Election Fundraising

Facebook voting fraud

These are just some ways bad actors phish for PII, perpetrate credit card or money transfer scams. Today’s phishing doesn’t just happen over email, but numerous channels — SMS, messaging apps, social platforms, search…

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National Cyber Security Month: FBI warning public about the dangers of online scams – WMC

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National Cyber Security Month: FBI warning public about the dangers of online scams  WMC
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