- [Caller] Hi there.
I'm calling you from Spectrum to let you know
that your existing account is qualified for 40% off.
In order to avail the discount, kindly call us back at.
- Some scams are easy to spot and others aren't.
Today's scammers can write convincing copy, imitate voices,
fake images, and even post phony QR codes.
The world may be changing, but scammers change with it.
That's why I dug into a few scams popping up in 2023,
to learn more about what to watch for this year, let's go.
(gentle music)
Phishing has nothing to do with actual fish
but it does involve bait
and just like that band you followed in college,
phishing has been around for decades.
These scams are more closely associated with emails,
but you may also see them when logging into an account
or any other links that you have to interact with.
Phishers cast their subject line in an email
with promises of rewards or threats of bogus charges.
But don't be fooled, that's the bait.
Once you click on that link
and enter your login information, you got got.
The latest subject lines, at least in email phishing
may tell you about a phony invoice,
promise a job opportunity or benefits
or even pose as fake phishing alerts or tech support.
How do you catch a slippery sucker like this?
Well, there are a few signs that point to phishing scams
that can help.
Look at the sender address.
Does the URL match who the sender claims to be?
If not, it could be phishing.
Read the message closely.
Does it use a strange or generic greeting
and does the text in the email match others from the sender?
If those don't add up, it could be phishing.
What does the email ask you to do?
If there's a sense of urgency around logging in
and you didn't request it, could be phishing.
Unfortunately, the people behind Phishing scams are masters
at their sport, and emails can have convincing logos,
copy and call to action.
If you think you found something fishy in your inbox,
go to identitytheft.gov and you can forward that same email
to this address and report the attempt to the FTC.
We've dropped all those links in the description for you.
Online dating can lead you to the person of your dreams.
There's a site or service out there for anyone,
regardless of orientation or gender or interests.
But because it opens so many doors,
it's also fertile ground for scammers.
Romance scams can come in many forms
and it goes way farther than just "The Tinder Swindler."
Chatbots can pose as suitors
with AI generated or stolen images.
There are crypto dating scams.
Even deep fake video has been used for romancing.
So how do you know your dating pool isn't full of catfish?
Thankfully, if you meet someone,
there are a few signs that point
towards a classic romance scam.
Things are moving fast, too fast.
Scammers can be impatient
so the faster they get you attached,
the faster they get their payout.
They may drop the L bomb really early into the relationship
or be really smooth talkers thanks to AI programs,
like Chat GPT that can craft personal messages.
Have they asked you for money,
information or strange favors?
Romance scammers have a little black book
full of sad stories they can use to pull money from you,
from legal fees, to travel to medical expenses.
It may not take long
until your online romantic relationship becomes financial.
Beware of anyone who asks you for money
before you really know them.
Have you met them in person?
If they're coming up with convenient reasons not to meet up
for a video call or in-person date, something may be wrong.
Have you done your research on them?
Reverse Google image search is your friend.
Catfishing is a technique that uses stolen
or falsified images as the face of a profile.
Take a look at your match's pictures
and see if they show up online anywhere else.
Are they a little too into cryptocurrency?
If your match asks you for money, especially cryptocurrency,
that could be a huge red flag.
Crypto is anonymous and they may even encourage you
to invest in it yourself only to take all of it.
So this is where things get straight up evil.
Thanks to New Tech like Deep Fake
and AI voice generating programs,
scammers are able to recreate a loved one's voice
or likeness with just a few clips.
Family scams come in different forms
but there are a couple out there
in 2023 that are getting a lot of attention
and both are downright despicable.
Thanks to a technique called spoofing,
a scammer can pose as one of your contacts
when they call you.
They pretend to be a grandchild in trouble,
or worse, a kidnapper threatening a loved one.
In the grandparent scam, the phony grandkid claims to be
in the middle of an emergency.
They're stranded abroad, they're in legal trouble
and you are the only one who can help me, Grandma.
In the kidnapping scam, you're greeted with threats,
even screaming in the background.
The caller tells you that if you hang up,
your loved one is in even more trouble.
Both of these scams prey on strong emotions
and heighten your sense of urgency for the victim.
It's act now or your loved one is in deep danger.
So say you get one of these phone calls, how can you tell
if they're bogus?
Confirm their identity.
You can do this a few different ways.
Ask about things only your loved one knows
or fake a memory as bait.
Remember that house we had on the beach?
What was that play you were in in middle school?
Those specifics could be the key to catching them in a lie.
You can also text your contact and ask the person
to read it back to you.
If all else fails, hang up, and this might be hard to do,
especially when someone on the other line
is lobbing threats at you.
But if it's really an emergency or they really need
a ransom, they'll pick up.
These particular scams are less common, but reports
around both have been skyrocketing in headlines lately,
and frankly, they're really scary.
If you do receive something like this,
do your best to stay calm and try to contact the person
the scammers posing as.
This only scratches the surface of the kind of scams
out there, but they all have a few things in common.
First, they grab you by your feelings.
Your relative's in trouble.
The love of your life needs help.
You're overdue on a mysterious bill.
You've won a trip of a lifetime.
All of these hooks are meant to catch your attention,
earn your trust, and take your money.
Next, they add a sense of urgency.
If you don't send money now, I'll be in trouble.
If you don't pay this bill now, we can take your home.
If you don't seize this chance, this prize will pass you by
and that's when you might lose your information
or your money.
Again, report anything suspect to the FTC.
We've got links below if you wanna find those,
and remember how these scammers make their money.
While the online world is full of amazing things,
it's also swimming with sharks.
Don't believe everything you see
and guard your information closely.
You can check out our video up here to see some of
our favorite tools for building cybersecurity toolkits
and check out our recommendations
in the description below and drop a comment
if any of these scams sound familiar to you.
We wanna hear your stories.
Thanks for watching, stay safe.
(upbeat music)