Articles tagged: scam

Facebook Marketplace Scams: 3 Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

Facebook Marketplace scams are on the rise. Here are three red flags that should tell you something’s not right.

The scene includes a computer screen displaying an email inbox with several spam email subjects visible, such as "Account Hacked!" and "Urgent: Security Alert." A large, bold, red 'X' is superimposed over these scam emails, symbolizing rejection or marking them as spam. In the foreground, a figure symbolizing a user (not specific in appearance) confidently presses the 'delete' or 'spam' button on the email client, ignoring the scam attempts.

Has a Hacker Really Hacked My Email Account?

An email claims your email account has been hacked, possibly even including a password you’ve used. Don’t be fooled; it’s a scam.

An investigator, characterized by a friendly and approachable design, using a magnifying glass to look closely at an email message on a computer screen. The scene is set in a dimly lit room, highlighting the focus on the screen, suggesting the importance of paying attention to detail. The investigator's expression is one of curiosity and determination, emphasizing the significance of scrutinizing every piece of information to uncover the truth behind the email message. This image should inspire viewers to be more diligent and thoughtful when examining their own emails.

Behind the Scam: Decoding the Secrets of Fraudulent Emails

Scam emails often have clues ranging from obvious to obscure. I’ll take a scam email and show you what I see.

Don’t Be Ashamed or Smug

If you’re embarrassed at having fallen for a scam, it’s tempting to want hide and not tell anyone. But it’s important to learn from the experience and share it. There’s no need to feel shame.

An image of a modern mobile phone receiving a call. The screen of the phone displays a caller ID that reads "TRUST ME" in bold letters. The phone is held in a hand against a neutral background, emphasizing the caller ID on the screen.

Tip of the Day: Don’t Believe Caller ID

To access this post, you must purchase The Ask Leo! Tip Of The Day, Silver: Online Everything or Gold: What More Can I Add?.

The scene includes a metaphorical depiction of the scam process, showing a digital landscape with a piggy bank standing on one side, looking full and healthy, connected by a series of digital pathways and strings to a shadowy figure on the other side, who holds a butcher knife made of binary code, symbolizing the scammer preparing to 'butcher' the victim's savings. The background is a mix of digital and real elements, such as a cityscape blending into a circuit board, representing the intersection of technology and everyday life where these scams take place. Include symbols like chat bubbles, hearts, and dollar signs floating between the piggy bank and the shadowy figure to represent the building of trust, emotional manipulation, and financial transactions involved in the scam. The overall atmosphere should be ominous yet subtle, highlighting the deceptive and hidden dangers of online scams.

What Is a Pig-Butchering Scam?

Pig-butchering is a nasty term for a particularly painful type of scam. Here’s how to protect yourself.

Tip of the Day: Hover Before Clicking

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How Can I Protect Myself From Scams?

Scams are everywhere, it seems. I’ll cover some common ones, and share the single most important rule to protect youself.

Avoiding Tech Support Scams

What do you do when you suddenly find yourself on the phone with a scammer? Step One: Be Skeptical!

Is My ISP Calling Me to Clear Up My Problems with Windows?

In a brazen scam attempt, you may get a phone call from someone claiming to be your ISP or other service provider to “help” you with your Windows problems. Don’t fall for it.

A scene showing a concerned individual at their computer, receiving a scam phone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft, aiming to assist with non-existent computer errors.

I Got a Call from Microsoft and Allowed Them Access to My Computer. What Do I Do Now?

A very common scam has people supposedly from Microsoft, your ISP, or other authorities calling to help you with computer problems. Don’t fall for it.

Is the internet just full of scams?

Many advertisements of computer products include promises that they can’t keep, or know that they won’t keep. By making things seem much worse than they actually are they attempt to entice – or even scare – you into purchase tools you simply don’t need.