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Scam crop

FTC: Social Security is not trying to take your benefits

By on September 16, 2019 in Security
There's a new twist on the Social Security Administration (SSA) scam. Listen to a SSA imposter robocall, which says your benefits will end. (That’s not true, by the way.)
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How to search and find your digital footprint

By on September 12, 2019 in Security
You’ve heard over, and over (and over) how you should do your best to protect your privacy and what you share online. Even if you’re thinking, “I’m not really a private person, so I don’t care what’s out there” —you really should. The more information that’s publicly available, the easier it is to create a good scam.
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Study: we knowingly use vulnerable passwords

By on August 28, 2019 in Security
If someone tells you you're using a password that's been exposed in a data breach you wouldn't use it, right? WRONG. Find out what the research says and get 4 tips for changing your bad password habits.
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Pop up ads

Pop-up scams

By on July 31, 2019 in Security
You’ve heard of pop-up shops and also probably pop-up restaurants. Now you need to watch out for pop-up scams. Find out how they work, what you need to watch out for, and how to steer clear of these annoying and pervasive scams.
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Should you delete FaceApp?

By on July 19, 2019 in Security
The viral app, most recently part of a celebrity #FaceAppChallenge, allows users to upload photos to see how they might look when they’re old, if they were a different gender, etc. Although it has been around for a few years, the app is the subject of renewed privacy concerns. What do we really know about FaceApp and should you be worried? Get the scoop.
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Used car scams

Put the brakes on car scams

By on July 15, 2019 in Security
You can buy practically anything online (seriously, what CAN’T you buy online?), but when purchasing a big-ticket item like a used car, you need to be extra careful. The FTC is reporting that scammers are taking customers for a ride by “selling” vehicles they don’t have or don’t own.
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government scams

Government impostor scams are on the rise

By on July 11, 2019 in Security
Odds are good you’ve gotten the calls that seem to be from the Social Security Administration—or the IRS, or Medicare, or any number of other official agencies. Except, as soon as the caller threatens you or demands that you pay them with a gift card or by wiring money, you should know it’s a scam.Last year, in fact, the FTC warned us all about the rise in government scams. Now they have new data—and a new way to see the data—to prove it.
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Cell phone dialing

FCC: Get a one-ring call? Don’t call back

By on May 13, 2019 in Security
When you receive a phone call from a number you don’t know, and the call stops after just one ring, don’t call back.The Federal Communications Commission is noting that this scam is “ back with a vengeance.” Find out what you need to know.
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Jailbroken fire stick 3

“Jailbroken” streaming devices and apps are Trojan Horses for malware

By on May 8, 2019 in Security
The latest entertainment scams are just like Trojan Horses—you invite them into your home thinking they’re something awesome, but they actually mean you harm. Scammers are selling devices and downloadable apps promising that you’ll “never pay for a movie or TV show again.” In reality, what you’re likely to get is free content with a side of theft and fraud.
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internet security

The top cybercrime of 2018 might surprise you

By on April 29, 2019 in Security
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recently released some rather jaw-dropping statistics about the current state of cybercrime. Find out what internet crimes yield the most number of victims and the most dollars.
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