Finding Payment Card Fraud and What to Do About It

We all dread the thought of finding payment card charges we don’t recognize. We have to wonder if someone, somewhere breached our account and went on a shopping spree. If you’d like to know what to do about a suspected fraudulent charge and how to go about filing a credit fraud claim, this is for you. First, it’s important to remember we’re human, and we might forget making a payment card purchase. However, the world of payment card fraud today is full of cybercriminals, hackers, skimmers, and shimmers—and they’re all trying to help themselves to our hard-earned credit. READ FULL STORY

Accounts Drained By Zelle Smishing Scam

From time to time, scammers come up with a new tactic using new technology, new events, or whatever they can to continue tricking us into giving up our personal or confidential information. Over the past few years and with the increasing use of texting and SMS messaging, a newer one in the bag of tricks has been coined as “smishing.” Because it’s text, it often catches people off guard and causes them to react quickly, which is exactly what you shouldn’t do. READ FULL STORY

When Employees Are Away, Cybercriminals Play. Securing Your Network During the Holidays

The holiday season can be a time of cheer, but also of time of utter chaos and distraction. That’s when those Grinchy cybercriminals step up their naughty tricks. While many of us go about our holiday business, maybe take more vacation time, and overall just try to be full of glee, they get to work taking advantage of all of that and more. In fact, according to studies, cybercrime skyrockets, sometimes to the tune of 550%, around this time of year. READ FULL STORY

Keep Track Of Common UPS Scams

With the popularity of online shopping, we all are getting packages delivered to our doors. While perusing the UPS website for important tracking information on a package I was expecting, I noticed there is an entire web page devoted to combatting fraud with regard to the shipment of UPS packages. We're sharing them with you too, as these types of scams are happening more and more these days, and with the impending holiday shopping season nearly upon us, they will most definitely increase in volume. READ FULL STORY

Online And Mobile Payment Option Security

Most of us have heard of the various payment systems that allow us to pay almost anyone without writing the old-fashioned paper check. Now, we can pay nearly anyone, residing anywhere in the world with just a few taps on the keyboard or touch of an app. The three best known are PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle and all of them are increasingly being used for business purposes. PayPal and Venmo work essentially the same way and are actually owned by the same company, though there are some small differences in how they are used. READ FULL STORY

Year-Round Package Delivery Scams To Watch For, 24-7-365

Be it by text, phone call, or email, cyber thieves love trying to scam us out of something of value. It could be for our personally identifiable information (PII), bank account information, payment card data, or all three at once. If there’s one thing we can count on today it’s this: Every day, and likely every minute of the day, the world over, someone is being scammed in some way. Below are widely used package delivery scam messages, so pay attention if you don’t want to be next. READ FULL STORY

Hackers Flush Out Users’ Google Credentials

Hackers have begun employing a new annoyance technique to steal Google account passwords. This tactic, called credential flushing, relies on getting malware onto a device that locks the system into “kiosk mode.” In this mode, users are prevented from doing anything else without providing their account credentials. Once the victim provides them, hackers can log into the victim’s Google account and steal personal information or further compromise their online security. READ FULL STORY

Avoiding Insurance Fraud And Fraudsters

Insurance fraud is a problem everywhere and it makes things more expensive for those of us playing by the rules. With this fraud in particular, whether it’s for our health, car, or home, fraudsters are scamming like never before. Suspecting a sketchy seller and policy in an open marketplace can help prevent a potential nightmare. Knowing tell-tale signs of insurance fraud when we see it is smart shopping, and the information below will help. READ FULL STORY

Phishing Examples Of The Current Top Ransomware Threats

Ransomware attacks have become increasingly prevalent and damaging in recent years and they do not discriminate. Every person, industry, or organization is fair game for cybercriminals wanting to make a buck; in most cases, many bucks. Cybercriminals are constantly on the lookout for vulnerabilities they can exploit to gain unauthorized access and deploy ransomware. Here, we highlight some of the most significant vulnerabilities leveraged by ransomware groups, their implications, and the importance of securing these weaknesses. READ FULL STORY

Shimming Right Along To Skim Your Payment Card Number

By now, most of us have at least one or two EMV (Europay, MasterCard, Visa) cards. These are the payment cards that were touted as far more secure than the ones with the magnetic strips on the backs. And indeed, if you ask Visa these cards have resulted in a 75% decrease in fraud in the three years since they were introduced. Cybercriminals are of course finding ways to take advantage of the EMV cards too. Now, there are reports of a new way to skim. READ FULL STORY

Senior Scams—When Elder Fraud Gets Personal

Last year in the U.S., nearly two-thirds of scam victims were seniors. Whether family, friend or neighbor, many of us know a senior citizen. But one thing many of us don’t know is how vulnerable they are to cybercrime. The FBI reports those aged 60+ are potential victims of a nearly $3.5 billion criminal scheme to defraud this at-risk group, and it’s only getting worse. The reasons behind the attacks are simple. It's about money and trust. READ FULL STORY

Security Practices To Keep Financial Fraud At Bay

In 2023, the IC3 reported some shocking numbers. It received over 880,000 complaints from consumers regarding fraud. Total losses exceeded $12.5 billion. That’s not trivial bits of change and in fact, this just further shows how much businesses and their financial institutions are at risk of considerable losses still today. Fortunately, there are some simple processes that can be implemented to help stay on top of the risks. Financial institutions are sharing advice with businesses and each other on how to mitigate such attacks. READ FULL STORY