Top 5 2022 Cybercrime Scams Targeting Everyone

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According to experts in threat analysis, 2022 could be the year that cybercriminals start focusing more on the Average Joe instead of focusing on big corporations as they have in the past. These days, consumers could be a lot more lucrative to hackers, so it makes a lot of sense. Here is what you need to know about what is happening to help hackers:

Cybercriminals Like to Take the Easy Path

No one really likes to do a lot of hard work, and this includes hackers and other cybercriminals. So, they will focus on the path of least resistance when targeting a victim. Where they used to find a lot of loopholes with corporations, now they are focused on individuals…specifically those who work from home as a remote worker.

Remote Workers Are Easy Prey

Though the pandemic is starting to fade away, remote working seems to be here to stay, and with that comes more security risks. While all of this is going on, organizations are focusing more on internal security and forgetting that they have employees out there who can easily be connected to the network remotely and are vulnerable to hackers.

So, it is totally possible that for a hacker, it is much easier to access a company network by using social engineering or a phishing scam on Mary in Customer Service, who now works from home in her jammies, than it is to go through traditional hacking methods.

We are in a Crypto-World, Now, Too

2021 was the year for those who mine cryptocurrency because coins like Ether, Bitcoin, and other cryptos rose greatly. Meanwhile, we also…and are still seeing…the rise of NFTs on the market. People who are just now getting into this are really focused on this new crypto-craze, and they don’t know how to protect themselves. Hackers are focused on them, too, and it is thought that it will continue to rise into 2022.

Meta is also here, now, and it is expected to create even more payments via digital assets, and this is expected to add even more fuel to the fire.

Stopping Macros

Another thing that is happening right now is that companies like Microsoft are working to disable things like Excel 4.0 macros, which hackers often use to get malware on a victim’s device. However, hackers are one step ahead, and they are now working on fooling victims to go to a malicious website instead, and using things like social media sites, fun games that are actually designed to steal passwords, and even posting YouTube videos designed to hack.

For much of 2021, experts noted that there were tons of threats to people that came from software that looks innocent, such as games, and though a person can play the game in some cases, the software also installs things like miners onto the device. This, too, is expected to increase throughout 2022.

Even More Adware

For most cybercriminals, adware is seen as a great way to make money, and they use it to exploit networks, smartphones, and even computers. It is expected that in the remainder of 2022, these attacks will continue to rise as they are difficult to detect but spread fairly quickly. Many consider adware to just be annoying and not particularly dangerous, these programs may be bundled with other types of software including ransomware, viruses, and more.

Speaking of Ransomware…

Finally, when we think of ransomware these days, we still see a lot of threat, but they had been focused more on larger companies and corporations. As we settle nicely into mid-2022, however, we have seen more ransomware targeting governments and other similar organizations, as well as people who may own something of value. These attacks are common for hacking groups, as they are easy to pull off.

We also see the ransom demands falling a bit, with hackers asking individuals for $1000 or less in order to access their device. This means that consumers have to be more careful than ever before, and they need to keep the following in mind:

  • Only use unique passwords that are very strong and varied. (I.e. a mixture of letters, numbers, and symbols.)
  • Use security software, like Microsoft Defender, if you have a Windows computer or any antivirus as long as you ay for it. With free, you get what you pay for.
  • Never open any email attachments from a person or company that you don’t know. Call them first to confirm its OK.
  • Don’t expose internal services, like NAS devices or a Remote Desktop, to the internet.
  • When OS and software updates are available, make sure you install them.
  • Don’t download key generators or software cracks, which often contain viruses or ransomware.

By taking these simple steps, we can work together to make sure that 2022 is NOT the biggest year of cybercrime, and instead, the year we do our best to fight back against hackers.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Online Dating Scams – You May Find Much More than Love Online, and It’s Not Good

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These days, if you want to date, there are hundreds of online dating sites and apps out there, but instead of finding love, you may fall for one of online dating scams and lose a lot of money. Most people think that a person has to be “naïve” or “gullible” and the reality is you just need to be human and want to be loved. Sometimes our heart gets in the way of our mind and basic common sense.

What Are Online Dating Scams and How They Work

Online Dating Scams or romance scams are hot topics these days, especially after a report came out from the Federal Trade Commission that said people have lost more than $1 billion in romance scams over the past five years. In 2020, $304 million in losses was reported, and last year, victims of online dating scams lost $547 million.

These reports show that romance scammers are a dangerous breed. They find photos of attractive people or even take on the identity of someone else. Then they create a story and set out to find some victims. They can easily create a perfectly legitimate looking profile, but there is almost always a story about why they can’t meet in person once you get to know each other… they might work on an oil rig, or they are stationed overseas with the military.

Many people who have fallen victim to online dating scams report that they were contacted by these scammers on a dating site, but you really don’t have to be single and looking for them to contact you. They use everything from emails to direct messages on social media to start building a relationship, and many of these start right on Instagram or Facebook.

Romance Scammers Pray on Your Emotions

As master storytellers, cybercriminals involved in online dating scams create a tall tale to con others, and in the process, something always happens — their car breaks down and they need $700 for a repair… their child is sick, and they can’t pay the medical bills… they are a bit short on rent and will be homeless if they don’t pay up… and they come to their “online love” for the cash, but in reality, it’s all a lie. They also might create some sort of reason they need to move funds from one account to another or they have an inheritance that will pay for your lives together, but in order to get it, they need you to be a middleman. In reality, they may be using you to launder money.

You might think that there is no way you would fall for something like this, but millions do each year, and it’s easier to do than you might think. Let’s look at an example.

Finding Your Soulmate

Rebecca D’Antonio was looking for love on the popular dating app, OKCupid. There, she met the man of her dreams, a handsome widowed father from Australia who worked on an oil rig. Rebecca immediately fell for the Aussie, who said his name was Matthew, and they engaged in conversation for weeks before he started needing money for things. Believing him to be her long-distance boyfriend at this point, she was happy to help out when she could. Over time, she ended up sending him around $100,000.

Eventually, Rebecca caught on to the scam, but it was too late. She had to declare bankruptcy, and her life crumbled around her. She ended up confronting “Matthew,” and even explained that she had thought about suicide because she was so distraught about this, and “he” simply responded with “Well, you have to do what you have to do.”

Rebecca wasn’t the only one who fell for “Matthew’s” charms, and eventually, after report after report, it was found that he was actually a member of a Nigerian gang of cybercriminals.

Another well-known case of a romance scam is from the Netflix documentary, “The Tinder Swindler.” The movie is a profile of a man named Shimon Hayut, who went by the alias Simon Leviev. Over time, he was able to swindle people out of more than $10 million in online dating scams.

Look Out for the Lies

The good news is that there are some things that you can look for to determine if a person you meet on an online dating app could be a scammer.

First, most of the time, the person will say that they are not in the US, or they are travelling for an extended period of time. Many will say they work on an oil rig, that they are in the military, or that they are a doctor working overseas with a humanitarian organization.

Next, you should take note of any instances where they ask for money. They often will ask for money for the following reasons:

  • To pay for surgery or medical costs
  • To pay off gambling debts
  • To pay for travel expenses, i.e. a plane ticket
  • To pay for a visa or other travel documents
  • To pay for custom fees

Even if they ask for something that is not on this list, they may ask for a victim to send money in a certain way. For instance, they may want money wired to this, or they may ask for money in the form of gift cards or a reloadable debit card. They do this because they know that there is only a very small chance that they will be caught, and once these transactions are made, it is almost impossible to get your money back.

What to Do if You Think You are Talking to a Romance Scammer

If you think that you are talking to a person who may be a romance scammer, you should start taking steps immediately.

First, never, ever send money to them. If you already have, stop it immediately. Next, you should cut off communication with the person. Reach out to a person you trust, and then pay attention to what your friends and family have to say about this love interest. You should also consider doing some research about what the person told you. Did they say they were in the US Army and stationed overseas? Where? Is this a common scam when you search Google “US Army scammer”? Finally, you want to do a reverse image search of the photos they are sending you. Do they come up as someone else?

Reporting Online Dating Scams

If you believe that you are involved in a scam, you should report it to the FTC. You should also report the person’s profile to the site you met them on.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Identity Theft — Types, Signs, and Protection for Victims

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The internet is an awesome place where you can do things like shop or interact with family and friends you may not see all of the time. For as much fun as it is, though, it can also be quite dangerous.

Identity Theft --- Types, Signs, and Protection for VictimsAccording to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, in 2020, there were about 2.1 million fraud reports, and many of these were for the purpose of stealing another person’s identity.

Victims of identity fraud may lose a lot of money, and their credit could be damaged for years. They also might have a lot of mental anguish and stress to deal with. There is a threat of identity theft for almost anyone, but if you know how to do your best to avoid it, as well as signs of ID theft, you can help to protect yourself and your family.

The Definition of Identity Theft

Most of us have heard of identity theft, but do you really know the definition? It is when a cybercriminal steals a person’s personal or financial data, generally in order to use the information for financial gain. It means they may try to get information on full names, Social Security numbers, birthdays, address, credit/bank account information, or even driver’s license information. Once they have this information, they can use it to apply for credit cards, open bank accounts, get insurance, or even do things like buy a house or car…all in the name of the victim.

How Does ID Theft Happen?

Before we get into the types of identity theft, it’s important to know how ID theft happens:

  • A Phishing Scam – These days, phishing scams are all over the place, and they often happen via email or websites. Generally, with these scams, a person pretends to be someone you know or trust, such as posing as a customer service worker from your bank, in order to get information and personal data.
  • Data Breaches – Many companies store the information of their customers, including your doctor, your ISP provider, your credit card company, and more. If there is a data breach, criminals will have easy access to this information, and it might even get sold on the dark web.
  • Snooping on Social Media – Criminals often will get information to steal an identity by using social media. Most people, for instance, have their birthday on their Facebook page, and they might even have their home address. That, along with their name, might be all they need to gain access to other accounts. They can also look for things like pet names or kid’s birthdays, as many people use these for passwords or PINs.
  • Hacking – A hacker can easily get into phones, tablets, or computers if they aren’t protected. They use malware and viruses to do this. Having a good antivirus software can help stop this, and it can help to protect your personal information and devices from the bad guys.
  • Theft – Some criminals really go back to basics to steal someone’s identity. They can really just take it. By stealing your wallet, your purse, or even your phone can give them all of the information they need.
  • Dumpster Diving – A criminal might also simply pull your information right out of the trash. If you are throwing away documents that have information such as your name, address, birthday, or other information, a thief can find this right in the garbage. Keep in mind that things like a bank statement or credit card statement can contain your number, and a pay stub may have your Social Security number on it. Always take a couple of minutes to shred any paperwork before you throw it out.

The Five Main Types of ID Theft

 There are a ton of different types of identity theft, but there are five main ones:

Financial ID Theft

 The most common type of identity theft is the financial variety. This is when a scammer uses a victim’s data for financial gain. This type of ID theft may take the following forms:

  • A scammer might use your credit card information to buy things online.
  • A hacker can literally steal money right out of your bank account – they often do this by taking small amounts here and there from unknowing victims. This amount might be so small that you may not even notice it — but when they do this over and over again, they can collect millions.
  • A criminal can open new accounts in your name, too, by simply using your Social Security number and supporting data. For example, a person can open a credit line in your name, and then use all that credit…leaving you with the pay back.

The good news, however, is that it is fairly simple to protect yourself from ID theft by keeping an eye on your bills, your bank account, and credit card statements. If you see something that looks strange, you should immediately notify your bank or credit card company. You should also check your credit report for any changes. A decrease that you were not expecting could mean that there is some type of fraud going on. You can check your credit report in a number of ways, and most credit card providers offer it as a perk for customers.

You can also choose to place a fraud alert on credit reports, so that you can stop anyone from opening any new accounts by using your information. This means that lenders and creditors must take extra steps to verify your identity before they offer a credit increase or loans. A credit freeze might also be a great idea.

Medical ID Theft

Another type of identity theft is medical identity theft. This is when a criminal takes a person’s identity to get health care by posing as the victim. They can use this information to do things like obtain prescription drugs or even get expensive surgery done. This means that you will get the bills for all of this, and it can also negatively affect your health records. This can mean you will have difficulties getting insurance in the future, and it can also mean you won’t get the care you need in a health crisis.

You can help to minimize the risk of medical identity theft by taking the time to review any and all medical claims you might get in the mail. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, such as a prescription you didn’t get, you should immediately contact your doctor’s office and your insurer. You should also contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make a claim.

Criminal ID Theft

This type of identity theft occurs when a person is arrested for a crime, but then they use the name of someone else. They might be able to do this by using a fake or stolen ID, such as a driver’s license, to show the cops.

This can be a difficult type of ID theft to notice if you are a victim until some type of consequence happens, such as –

  • You get a court summons for a crime you didn’t commit
  • You get a bench warrant for your arrest
  • You get information that someone is performing a background check on you

One of the things that you can do to protect yourself against criminal ID theft is to protect your ID. If your driver’s license or state-ID is stolen or lost, you should immediately report it to law enforcement or the DMV. Also, you should make an effort to limit the type of information you share online.

Synthetic ID Theft

 This is the fastest growing type of ID theft in the US, and it is the practice of people creating a fake ID using the real information of the victim. The bad guys might, for instance, use information such as the Social Security number, birthday, and address of three different people, and then combine this information to create a new ID. They can then use this information to commit fraud.

The most important thing to know about synthetic ID theft is that you may be able to stop it by knowing that it’s happening, and then acting quickly. For instance, if you get a piece of mail that has your address on it, but a different name, or you get a phone call to your number asking for someone you don’t know over and over again, this could be an issue. Again, you should be checking your credit reports for anything strange, which could indicate that there is an issue. An identity monitoring service may also help to catch this type of ID theft.

Child ID Theft

Finally, we have child ID theft. In this case, a scammer steals the information from a child to open a new account or credit line in that child’s name. Then, they can use that information to do things like apply for benefits, get a driver’s license, or even purchase a home. It is easier for a scammer to get away with this than with an adult’s information, as most children don’t have any type of credit nor financial accounts.

A sad fact, here, is that the ID theft of a child is often done by their own family or family friend, as they will have easy access to the child’s information. Most of the time, they can get away with it for years, as a minor typically won’t even realize that they are a victim until they try to do something like take out a student loan for college.

The best way to check on this is to see if your child has any type of credit report with TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax. If they do, look at the report, and then let authorities know if there is anything suspicious. You also might consider placing a freeze on your child’s report to help to minimize any type of fraud from occurring.

Signs that You are a Victim of ID Theft

None of us want to be left in the cold when it comes to ID theft, so by knowing the signs you can use to spot it, you can get ahead of it quickly.

Finally, here are some of the signs you should look for:

  • Fraud alerts from a bank or other financial institution – most banks have some type of security in place to notify them and the customer if there is something weird going on. For instance, if you are in Chicago, and your credit card is used in Tokyo, there could be a big problem.
  • Your credit score changes unexpectedly – A credit score that rises unexpectedly could mean that someone is attempting to extend your credit, and a strong dip in your score might mean that someone is trying to get a loan in your name or there is a bill in your name that has gone to collection.
  • Your financial accounts have changes – It is important to check your bank statements at least every few weeks and look for anything that seems unfamiliar to you. You should also look to see if there are any new credit accounts or lines of credit in your name.
  • You apply for credit, and you are denied – if you have a decent credit score, and you apply for credit, you probably think that you are going to get approved…. if you don’t, you should check your credit report, as someone could be up to something.
  • You get strange phone calls from a collection agency – If you start getting phone calls from a debt collector or collection agency that you don’t owe, there could be an account open in your name that you don’t know about. Check your credit report, immediately.
  • You get mail that is odd – You may also get some mail that is sent to your address that seems strange. This might be medical bills or other bills that you do not recognize.
  • Your tax filing is rejected – Additionally, you may notice that when you try to file your taxes that they are rejected. This could mean that someone has already filed in your name. If this happens to you, contact the IRS immediately.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.