Tag scams

Social Security Administration (SSA) scams targeting seniors can be broadly categorized into two major types: impersonation through fraudulent letters and deceptive communications. These scams exploit seniors’ trust in official communications, using urgent and misleading tactics to solicit personal information, financial details, or payments. A multi-faceted approach focusing on verification, awareness, and caution is recommended to counter these threats and avoid fraud.

Beware of Social Security Scams Targeting Seniors: A Guide to Staying Safe

In an age where information is as valuable as currency, Social Security scams have emerged as a significant threat, particularly to seniors. These deceptive schemes often impersonate the Social Security Administration (SSA), exploiting the trust and respect the elderly have for this institution. Awareness and knowledge are our best defenses against these fraudulent activities.

Types of Scams

1. Fraudulent Letters: These scams involve letters that appear to be official SSA communications. They use urgent and false claims to create a sense of panic, pushing seniors to act hastily by providing personal information or making payments.

2. Deceptive Communications: In addition to letters, scammers use emails, phone calls, and text messages to impersonate the SSA. These messages often contain misleading information and request immediate action under the guise of updating records or avoiding penalties.

Cybersecurity Recommendations and Remediation

• Verification is Key: Always verify the authenticity of any SSA communication. Contact the SSA directly through official channels. This simple step can prevent most scams.
• Protect Your Information: Do not share personal or financial details in response to unsolicited communications. Scammers often create a false sense of urgency to trick you into acting without thinking.
• Report Suspicious Activities: Help combat scams by reporting suspicious communications to the SSA or relevant authorities. Your actions can protect others from falling victim.
• Educate and Spread Awareness: Share information about these scams with friends, family, and community members. Awareness is a powerful tool in preventing scams.

Be Cautious, Not Fearful: While it’s essential to be vigilant, it’s equally important not to live in fear. Like many institutions, the SSA has measures in place to protect your information. Knowing how to verify communications and when to be suspicious can help maintain this delicate balance.

In conclusion, staying informed, verifying sources, and exercising caution with personal information is crucial to safeguarding against SSA scams. By adopting a proactive stance and spreading awareness, we can protect ourselves and those around us from falling prey to these deceitful tactics. Remember, the SSA will never threaten you, demand immediate payment, or ask for sensitive information via unsolicited communications. When in doubt, reach out directly to the SSA. By working together, we can build a wall to protect our Seniors’ identities and belongings from fraud and other scams.

You may find this article from the SSA interesting (most common questions), plus our post on avoiding social engineering scams.

Imagine waking up one day and finding a video of yourself saying or doing something you’ve never done, and you’re absolutely certain of it. That’s the power and threat of “deepfakes.” Let’s break it down.

What Are Deepfakes?

“Deepfakes” is a blend of “deep learning” (a type of machine learning) and “fake.” At its core, a deepfake is a convincing fake video or audio clip produced using advanced artificial intelligence (AI). These clips can make it look and sound like someone is doing or saying something they never did.

Why Are They Dangerous?

1. Misinformation and Fake News: With the increasing news spread through social media, deepfakes can cause significant harm by distributing false information. For instance, a convincingly edited video of a political leader declaring war could cause panic or real-world confrontations.
2. Identity Theft and Personal Harm: Personal videos can be manipulated for blackmail or revenge, causing emotional and psychological harm.
3. Trust Erosion: As deepfakes become more prevalent, our trust in videos and audio as reliable sources of information diminishes. This can create a society where we’re skeptical of everything we see or hear.

How Can You Spot a Deepfake?

While the technology behind deepfakes is improving, there are still some signs you can look for:

1. Imperfect Lip Syncing: If the words being spoken don’t quite match up with the movement of the lips, it could be a sign.
2. Strange Lighting or Shadows: Deepfakes might not always get the lighting or shadows just right, so look for inconsistencies.
3. Blinking: Early deepfakes struggled with simulating natural blinking.
4. Audio Inconsistencies: The voice might sound slightly off or have unusual background noises.

Fighting Back Against Deepfakes

Thankfully, as the technology to create deepfakes advances, so does the technology to detect them:

1. Detection Tools: Many companies and researchers are working on AI tools to detect deepfakes by analyzing the nuances humans might miss.
2. Digital Watermarking: Some suggest using digital watermarks in authentic videos, especially for official broadcasts or critical news segments.
3. Media Literacy Education: It’s essential to teach people, especially the younger generation, to approach videos with a critical mind and verify information from multiple sources before accepting it as truth.

Conclusion

To summarize, deepfakes’ ability to manipulate reality has brought a new threat dimension in the digital age. As with most technology, it’s a tool that can be used for good and bad. It’s up to society, tech companies, and individuals to remain vigilant, educate themselves, and develop and employ countermeasures. Remember, in this era of technological wonders, seeing isn’t always believing.

Deepfakes have been recognized as a serious threat by government agencies, including the NSA; read more here. You may also benefit from our article on drive-by malware attacks.

Phishing: What Happens When You Click ‘Unsubscribe’

When you click “unsubscribe” in a legitimate email, you intend to stop receiving further communications from the sender. However, if you’re dealing with a phishing email, clicking “unsubscribe” can lead to several unfavorable outcomes, potentially making things worse.

• Verification of Active Email Address: One of the primary objectives of phishing campaigns is to gather valid, active email addresses. By clicking on the “unsubscribe” link, you tell the attacker that your email address is active and monitored, making it a more valuable target for future scams or spam.
• Malware Infection: The link might lead to a malicious website that downloads and installs malware onto your device. This malware could be anything from ransomware (which encrypts your files and demands payment for their release) to spyware (which monitors your activities and steals sensitive information).
• Credential Harvesting: The link could redirect you to a counterfeit webpage that looks like a legitimate site you use (e.g., banking, email, or social media). The goal is to trick you into entering your login credentials, which the attackers can exploit.
• Drive-By Download Attacks: Some malicious websites are designed to exploit vulnerabilities in your web browser or its plugins. Just by visiting the site, without any further action on your part, malware might be downloaded and installed on your device.
• Tracking Pixels: By clicking the link, the phisher might also be able to retrieve certain information about your device or location, enhancing their profile of you for further attacks.
• Further Spam: By interacting with the phishing email, the attackers might categorize you as an “engaged” user. This could result in an increased volume of phishing emails or spam.

Why Clicking “Unsubscribe” Isn’t Helping

Legitimacy Misunderstanding: Many people associate “unsubscribe” links with legitimate emails. Attackers exploit this trust by including such links in phishing emails.

• False Sense of Security: Clicking “unsubscribe” might lead you to believe you’ve resolved the issue and won’t receive further malicious emails from that sender. In reality, you’ve just signaled your engagement to the attacker.
• No Regulatory Backing: Phishers operate outside the law, unlike legitimate marketing emails regulated by laws (like the CAN-SPAM Act in the US) that require honoring unsubscribe requests. They are not obligated to stop sending you emails because you clicked “unsubscribe.”

Phishing Protection: How To Protect Yourself

• Avoid Interacting: If you suspect an email might be a phishing attempt, avoid clicking any links, downloading attachments, or interacting with the email in any way.
• Verify Directly: If unsure about an email’s legitimacy, contact the company or sender directly using a verified phone number or email address, not any contact details from the suspicious email.
• Update & Protect: Ensure your operating system, web browsers, and security software are regularly updated to defend against known vulnerabilities.
• Educate Yourself: Familiarize yourself with common signs of phishing emails, such as generic greetings, poor grammar, urgent or threatening language, and mismatched URLs.

You may be interested in this article and guide on stopping the attack cycle from CISA. Or, our blog post on avoiding the top ten social media scams.

If you’ve fallen victim to a social media scam, it’s important to take swift and thorough actions to protect your information and prevent further harm. Here’s a detailed guide to reporting and recovering from such an incident:

1. Identify the Scam:

• Common Social Media Scams:
  • Fake giveaways or contests.
  • “See who viewed your profile” scams.
  • Messages from fake profiles or impersonated friends asking for money or personal information.
  • Clickbait links leading to malicious sites.

2. Change Your Passwords:

• Start with the compromised social media account. Then, change passwords for other important accounts (especially if you reuse passwords, which is not recommended).

3. Check Account Settings:

• Look for any unauthorized changes. This includes checking linked email addresses, phone numbers, and third-party apps with account access.

4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):

• Enable MFA/2FA on your social media accounts and any other accounts offering this added security layer.

5. Scan for Malware:

• If you clicked on any suspicious links or downloaded files, scan your device with a reputable antivirus or antimalware software. Preferably, scan with multiple. For example, if you already have Bitdefender installed, scan with Norton Power Eraser, Emsisoft EEK, Malwarebytes, and Eset Online Scanner.

6. Report the Scam to the Social Media Platform:

• Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn have dedicated reporting mechanisms for scams and fake profiles.
  • For instance, on Facebook, go to the specific profile or page > click on the three dots (…) > choose ‘Find Support or Report Profile’ > follow the prompts.

7. Document Everything:

• Take screenshots of the scam, including messages or posts.
• Document any financial losses or unauthorized transactions.

8. Contact Your Bank or Credit Card Company:

• If you’ve shared financial information or believe your financial accounts have been compromised, notify your bank or credit card company immediately. They can guide you on the next steps, including disputing charges or issuing new cards.

9. Monitor Your Accounts:

• Keep an eye on financial and online accounts for any unusual activity.

10. Report to Authorities:

• Depending on the severity, consider filing a report with local law enforcement.
• In the U.S., you can report online scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) via their website.

11. Educate & Spread Awareness:

• Inform your friends and followers (without sharing scam links) about the scam to prevent them from falling for it.
• Educate yourself on common online scams to protect against future threats.

12. Check for Signs of Identity Theft:

• If personal information was shared, monitor for signs of identity theft. Consider signing up for identity monitoring services.
• Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit reports for U.S. residents.

13. Review Privacy Settings:

• Review the privacy settings on your social media accounts to ensure you’re only sharing information with trusted individuals or networks.

Remember: Scammers constantly evolve their tactics, so always be cautious. Never share personal or financial information unless you know an entity’s legitimacy. Regularly educating yourself about the latest scam trends can help you stay one step ahead and help you recover from a social media scam. You may also like our article on recognizing when your computer has a virus; read it HERE.

For further info from Tripwire, click HERE, and from the FTC, click HERE.