Small Business

The bad guys are getting creative with a new hybrid attack that involves CEO Fraud and gift card scams.

There is a massive campaign underway where they impersonate an executive and urgently ask for gift cards to be bought for customers. Once the gift cards are physically bought from a store, the “boss” asks you to send them the redeem code/number via email or text.

Never comply with a request like this – it’s a scam! Always confirm a request with your boss over a live phone call or in person to make sure it’s not a scam. Sometimes it’s OK to say “no” to the boss!

Let’s stay safe out there!

Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.

Stay alert! The bad guys are now using CEO fraud and Business Email Compromise attacks more than ever.

These attacks take place when the bad guys impersonate executives within your organization via email and ask you to transfer them a large sum of money. They’re trying to manipulate you – don’t fall for it!

Instead, make sure that any request for a money transfer comes from the right person! Grab the phone and give them a call to verify that the request is legitimate. Better yet, communicate with them face-to-face about the request. They’ll thank you later!

Let’s stay safe out there!

Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.

Be extra cautious! The bad guys are using foreign characters to create phishing websites that spoof popular brands (Example: micròsoft.com instead of microsoft.com). Then, they use these websites to trick you into providing your personal information.

The latest phishing website scam is a contest for you to win “free tickets” from well-known airlines. They ask you a series of seemingly innocent questions and then tell you to share the free offer with 15 of your contacts before being directed to the URL where you can access the free tickets.

Don’t fall for this – there are no free tickets! Instead, you’re sending the bad guys your personal information and a list of more people to scam. Always check a website for any signs that it may not be legitimate, or type in the company’s web address yourself.

Let’s stay safe out there!

Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.

The bad guys aren’t limiting their scams to just your email account – they’re attacking you via social media, too! They create a fake profile and request to be your friend, or send you a message. They come off as wanting to be friends (in some cases, maybe even more), but what they really want is your money or your friend list. With access to your friend list, the bad guys will have even more people to target.

Don’t let them manipulate you! Don’t add or message people on social media that you do not know. These “random” profiles reaching out to you are fake and could lead you into a potentially dangerous situation.

Let’s stay safe out there!

Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.

Be on alert! Social Media scams tend to be shared often and excitedly despite checking it’s validity.

WestJet Airlines is not giving out two free tickets to celebrate its birthday despite an offer circulating on social media. This scam asks users to fill out a survey to claim remaining reward tickets. After completing the survey, you are asked to share the ad and type a phrase in the comments field. This then prompts users to click the ‘Claim Now’ button and enter personal details.

According to WestJet, this is not a legitimate offer. Similar offers using companies such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Toyota and Starbucks have been viewed on social media platforms in recent months.

The old adage comes into play with social media offers: If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t enter personal information on social media offers and always check the url when visiting sites linked from offers.

Let’s stay safe out there!

Source: Boston.com

 

Be on alert! The bad guys have a new way of stealing your login credentials. They target you by sending you an invite via email to open a SharePoint document. The link takes you to an actual SharePoint page where you will see a OneDrive prompt. The prompt will have an “Access Document” link in it – don’t click this link!

This link is malicious and will take you to a fake Office 365 login screen. Any credentials you enter here will be sent to the bad guys. Don’t be tricked!

Whenever you’re submitting login credentials to any site, make sure to check the URL of the page for accuracy. Also, remember to always hover over links to see where they are taking you.

Let’s stay safe out there!