Tis the season for fraud and scams, and Pearl Technology’s Anthony Mini was recently interviewed by WEEK-TV (channel 25) in Peoria on this topic.

Read the article and watch the clip here…
https://www.25newsnow.com/2024/11/18/black-friday-scams-heres-what-know-how-avoid-them/

“In the past, it was a lot of email. But I think we’re seeing the rise in social media,” he said. “I think with younger people, it is more of that influencer. They’re going after specific products. They’re showing a whole bunch of people using deepfakes endorsing the products.”

Here are tips on how to protect and prevent fraud from the Better Business Bureau, Mini, and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General:

• Avoid fake websites: Fraudulent websites may look like the real thing and may even have a similar website address. Double-check to ensure you have typed in the right website address. Remember that just because a website is at the top of the search results doesn’t mean it’s the official website. Scammers may use ads and sponsored links to trick you into going to their websites.
• Read reviews if you are shopping on an unfamiliar website: More focused information can also be found by doing an online search of a company or seller’s name along with the words “scam” or “review.”
• Be careful when clicking on links that were sent to your phone or email from suspicious or unfamiliar sources: Never give a third-party remote access to your computer or download a company’s software just to make a purchase. These may be “phishing” or “smishing” scams to trick you into going to a fake website or installing a virus on your device.
• Never give out private information – such as your Social Security number, payment information, usernames, or passwords in an email, text message, or a pop-up chat box.
• Be aware of “drop shippers”: Drop shippers don’t own their inventory and only act as an intermediary between the consumer and the manufacturer. Dishonest drop shippers may try to trick you into believing they are the manufacturer, charge you extra fees, or send counterfeit goods or poor-quality goods – if you receive anything at all.
• Always pay with a credit card: Transactions paid with a credit card generally limit your liability for fraudulent charges. Paying by debit card, prepaid cards, gift cards, and cash do not offer the same safeguards. When possible, use services such as Apple or Google Pay, which allow you to pay without providing your actual credit card number. If an actual credit card number is required, visit your credit card app or check with your issuer to see if a temporary one-time-use credit card is available.
• Be wary if an online retailer or website does not accept credit card payments and requires that you pay by wire transfer, money order, gift card, or cryptocurrency.
• Be extremely careful when sending peer-to-peer payments through apps such as Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App: Most peer-to-peer apps are designed so you can pay people or businesses you know, not people or businesses you are unfamiliar with. As a result, almost all the consumer protections associated with credit cards do not exist with P2P Apps. Double-check the recipient’s name, phone number, email address or profile photo before hitting the send/confirmation button. Avoid sending or receiving money from anyone you don’t know or trust. If you are sending money to someone for the first time, have them send you a “request” before you send the money.
• Use multifactor authentication or two-step verification when possible.
• Read the fine print to make sure there aren’t hidden costs or obligations that could sign you up for recurring charges, like a subscription or a membership.
• Ensure you receive a delivery date: If a seller doesn’t promise a ship time in their ad, they must ship your order within 30 days of receiving your name, address and payment, unless they explain delays and give you the option to cancel and receive a refund.
• Sign up for free fraud alerts from your bank or credit card.
• Use different usernames and passwords for all your accounts, keeping the password in a secure place and changing the password every 6 months.
• Don’t rush: It can be tempting to move quickly to try to score good deals in the frenzy of the holiday sale season. Scammers count on perceived pressure to convince us to do things we otherwise wouldn’t, such as sharing personal information. Taking time to evaluate offers can save you from getting stuck with a payment plan that charges high interest rates or fees, and comparison shopping before making a purchase can help you avoid overpaying for low-quality items.
• Too-Good-To-Be-True Deals: If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers use these to lure shoppers into providing their payment information.
• AI in Cybercrime: Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI to create more convincing phishing emails and deepfake scams. This makes it harder for the average shopper to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent communications.

If you are scammed, you can report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center’s website.

Does your business need help with IT solutions, cybersecurity, data centers, or audiovisual integration? Contact us to see what technology solutions might work best for you.