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Beware of Imitations! Security, Internet Scams, and the African Real Estate Agenda
Fishing on the Internet has come a long way. However, we TechWeb junkies like to call it Phishing. What I am talking about here is not going after your ordinary, everyday catch. Yet a fine catch it indeed may be to those thieving bandits if they can lure you into giving up your personal and private information. Trickery is vast and common on the World Wide Web. Beware, I say, beware! Email schemes, called "phishing" or "carding", attempt to trick consumers into disclosing personal and/or financial information. The emails appear to come from legitimate companies with whom consumers may regularly conduct business. I have seen scams appear to come from such noteworthy corporation as AOL, Earthlink, Paypal, eBay, or major credit card issuers. Often times the email threatens termination of accounts unless consumers update billing information. Phishing comes around in all forms. How many of you have had some Nigerian Prince that just inherited 35 million US dollars offer to share it with you for one reason or another? How many of you have received an e-mail supposedly from your bank that for "security reasons" requests you to click a link that takes you to an online form to fill out, requesting all your personal and confidential information about your bank account? A word to the wise: there is no Prince in Nigeria that needs your help, and your bank will never ask you for that info in an e-mail! The latest Internet scam appears to come from the South African Department of Mining. "Resources and we are in dire need of a foreign partner to assist us in the receipt and investment of US$15,500,000.00?" All they request is a secure place to deposit the lump sum on US territory, and you will gain a large piece of the pie. WOW, what a deal! Another I received comes from Johnson Mgabe, the son of the leader of the Republic of Zimbabwe Agricultural Commission. His father has just been assassinated, and he, the only remaining heir, is trying to escape. If you help him, he will give you lots of dough! Right on! "Please e-mail and tell me of your decision. I am ready to pay you 25% of the money [$45.5 Million] for your help, 5% shall go for expenses you might incur during the transaction. The remainder [70%] shall be mine." Ok, ok, I am convinced; here is my private bank account, my SSN, DL# and address. Please tell me what I need to do next. Are they for real? Seriously though, if people didn't fall for these types of stunts, there wouldn't be so many floating around. Identity theft has become more and more rampant in this techno traveling world. Again I say, beware. Many of these email schemes contain links to "look-alike" websites that are loaded with actual trademarked images. The websites then instruct consumers to "reenter" their credit card numbers, social security numbers, bank PINs, or other personal information. If consumers actually provide the information requested, the data goes to scammers, not the legitimate company whose name is on the site. Thereafter, the data is often used to order goods or services and/or to obtain credit in the name of the consumer and potentially, steal your identity. Again, I say, beware! Rule for the road: If you receive a precarious e-mail asking you for personal information, chances are it is a scam. It is better to be safe than sorry. By Greg Richburg All past articles written by Greg Richburg are available at http://www.netricks.com/news. Please address article suggestions to: info@netricks.com. Greg Richburg is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and the owner of Netricks, Inc. a network consulting, web design and hosting company located in Fresno, CA. Visit Netricks at http://www.netricks.com Richburg also runs KlickCommerce, anInternet based marketing system for Ujena brand clothing. See http://www.klickcommerce.com for details. More of Richburg's work may be seen at http://www.valley411.com
MORE RESOURCES: Opinion | Banning TikTok Won’t Solve Your Data-Security Problem The Wall Street Journal He’s a Security Guard at the Met. Now His Work Is Showing There. The New York Times Why does Trump want Greenland and the Panama Canal so badly? One reason may surprise you - USA TODAY Japan links Chinese hacker MirrorFace to dozens of cyberattacks targeting security and tech data ABC News Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on Nonproliferation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea United States Mission to the United Nations Sweet Security Partners with Illustria to Offer Proactive Open-Source Supply Chain Risk Management GlobeNewswire Krebs on Security – In-depth security news and investigation Krebs on Security One week later: New Orleans debates security, memorial grows, more chemicals found FOX 8 Local First New in 2025: Counties Should Prepare Now for the Upcoming HIPAA Security Rule Update National Association of Counties Special ops forces seek to manage digital footprints, achieve ‘security through obscurity’ DefenseScoop Pope to celebrate Jubilees for Communications, security forces Vatican News - English White House program to certify the security of IoT devices goes live Cybersecurity Dive U.S. citizen denied entry into Poland after security staff object to handwritten notes in passport ABC News Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Political and Humanitarian Situations in Syria United States Mission to the United Nations Stowaways on planes and inside landing gear raise worries about aviation security The Associated Press Brillion Achieves SOC 2 Type 2 Compliance, Reinforcing Commitment to Data Security and Privacy Business Wire Opinion | Biden’s ‘security’ concern about TikTok and U.S. Steel is doubly specious The Washington Post New Orleans Homeland Security criticized during terror attack probe WDSU New Orleans Border security is national security Foundation for Defense of Democracies Tidal Cyber Acquires Zero-Shot Security to Enhance Threat Intelligence Mapping Capabilities Business Wire The Rio Treaty's Security Pact and Unintended Consequences of Threatening Canada, Greenland, and Panama Just Security Swimlane Hero helps solve complex security operations problems Help Net Security Security guard catches DJ molesting 12-year-old boy at California mall, officials say Sacramento Bee UN aviation agency confirms recruitment database security breach BleepingComputer Who is Acronis’ New Chief Information Security Officer? Cyber Magazine AITX's RAD-R Welcomes Steve Danelon as President, Strengthening Leadership for Residential Security Solutions GlobeNewswire Fort Smith Public Schools to integrate AI gun detection software in security cameras Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Orange Bowl pep rally security includes surveillance cams, law enforcement on the ground - CBS Miami Security Industry Association Welcomes New Perimeter Security Subcommittee Leaders Security Sales & Integration BreachLock Unveils Unified Security Testing Platform for PTaaS, ASM, Continuous Pentesting, and Red Teaming PR Newswire Update on former Vigo County Security Annex demolition MyWabashValley.com Alois Brunner, the Nazi ‘butcher’ who trained Syrian security Al Jazeera English Marine Corps bases take increased security posture The Island News – Beaufort, SC When It Comes to Security, Europe Is Whistling Past the Graveyard World Politics Review Synology Launches ActiveProtect: Simplifying Enterprise Data Protection with Unmatched Security, and Scalability Business Wire Japan links Chinese hacker MirrorFace to dozens of cyberattacks targeting security and tech data The Associated Press Security and Sanctions in Post-Assad Syria The National Interest Online Security consultant denied profiteering in defamation case against CNN WMBB - mypanhandle.com 2025 Security Industry Predictions: Jon Adams, Vice President of Sales, DMP Security Sales & Integration Eric Trager tapped for Mideast slot on Trump’s National Security Council The Times of Israel Can Washington handle two weeks of high-security pomp along with a heavy burst of snow? The Associated Press Washington Township Police to launch security risk assessment program for businesses Bellefontaine Examiner New Orleans hires consultant to review security after Bourbon Street attack. See who has the job. NOLA.com New Orleans attack prompts tighter security in D.C. ahead of inauguration, Carter funeral The Chicago Cusader Newark Airport makes list of Top 10 craziest security catches New Jersey 101.5 FM Base steps up security measures following terrorist attacks Mountain Home News |
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