Recently, an email released by a scammer pretends to be from Capital One, a major, well-respected financial institution. In it, the scammer attempts to lure the email recipient into believing the Capital One website could be at risk of a fraudulent attack unless the individual clicks on an embedded link
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Business email accounts are as susceptible to scam attacks as personal accounts. Though a spam filter may do its best to weed out these malicious digital assaults from the daily onslaught of incoming email, some scams sneak past them. When they do, these cloaked villains do their best to fool
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In the latest ploy by scammers to steal your hard-earned cash, criminals use the lure of a free vacation to convince targets to hand over their credit card information. What these thieves also obtain is involuntary permission to charge expensive trip features on these credit cards by convincing people to
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Criminals use email as an inexpensive, easy way to reach a large number of people quickly. Their promises of an easy payday can be tempting, but don’t let their tricks fool you into giving up your hard-earned resources. Here’s a sample email recently received from a scammer. The email has
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When is a fraud alert not a fraud alert? When it’s a scammer trying to lure you into giving up your personal information. A recent Own Your Defense article reviewed a powerful strategy scammers employ to lure targets into taking a specific action. That strategy, the exploitation of fear, is
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It’s in the news frequently. Individuals, businesses, and government agencies fall for it every day. It’s also nearly impossible to put an end to it once and for all. What is it? Email scams and everyone is a potential target. Criminals are aware that news of their exploits are more
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When a good deal surfaces, it can be hard to ignore depending on the allure of the offer. Whether it’s a 50 percent off coupon at a popular restaurant, a buy one get one free offer on a pair of shoes, or a $10 certificate good toward the purchase of
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Communicating via video chat is a popular way for people stay connected, particularly for those across vast distances where in-person contact is difficult or impossible. It can be a much more rewarding experience than standard audio-only communication by allowing people to see the nuances of face-to-face contact with friends and
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This week is National Consumer Protection Week, a special time of the year when many organizations place heavy emphasis on enhancing public awareness regarding the deceptive practices of unscrupulous scoundrels. In support of this cause, Own Your Defense will release a “How to” series of creative ideas each day this
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Scammers aren’t nice people. They want what a target has, and they’ll pitch whatever lie they must to get it. If that lie is uncovered by the target of a scam, and the target voices that discovery or threatens action against the thief, the scoundrel might become angry. In some
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Last year when Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg and his wife announced the birth of their child and the intention to give away 99 percent of their Facebook shares, the post became a viral sensation. Though the generous act of the Facebook founder is unquestionable, the intent of individuals releasing giveaway
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