I'm starting this as a separate thread and hopefully this doesn't become political but I think this important enough to merit it's own thread here in Hangout and not in D&D. Every crisis brings out the best and worst in people and this one is no different. There's already been a lot of scams around this crisis from fake cures to scams regarding the stimulus checks. The virus isn't the only horrible thing that is spreading as false websites and social media accounts are proliferating to scam people. Here is an article on some scams to look out for. I encourage other posters to share info about scams they see out there . https://lifehacker.com/dont-get-suckered-by-these-coronavirus-phishing-scams-1842967378 Don't Get Suckered by These Coronavirus Phishing Scams Brendan Hesse The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic is the perfect backdrop for scammers to try and sucker you with schemes. We’ve seen fake coronavirus tracker apps and fake charities, and now coronavirus-related phishing scams are on the rise, too. These scams use alarming messages to dupe victims into handing over their social media accounts, social security numbers, and financial credentials. Some claim to be from the IRS, CDC, or companies like Google, while others try to scare you into buying fake testing kits or downloading “screening apps” that steal your data. FCC, FTC, and FBI have several examples of these fake messages, but for the most part, these scams are pretty obvious. Aside from leveraging the anxiety over the coronavirus pandemic, they’re just like any other phishing scam and can be prevented in the same way. Here are a few examples (and tips): Don’t open any links to online COVID-19 tests or testing apps. And don’t buy any “at-home testing kits,” either. There are no such tests. You can only get checked in-person at an official testing location. The at-home products are fake, and the online tests and testing apps are trying to phish your personal information. There is (currently) no service for alerting people who have come into direct contact with someone who has the virus. This means that any automated messages you get saying you may have COVID-19 and need to get tested are almost certainly fake. Yes, Google and Apple technically have the means for tracking potential contacts, but they haven’t been fully implemented yet. You only need to worry about this when someone you know personally reaches out saying they’ve tested positive and that you may need to be tested, too. If you’ve received a random coupon code or “special offer” for discounted groceries, services, or other goods from an unknown number, it’s fake (even if the text name-drops a store you shop at). However, if you want to make sure, find the company’s official contact information and call them directly to confirm. Some of the automated calls you might encounter during these coronavirus times can be deceptively scary—like claiming your small business is in danger, or that there’s an issue with your stimulus check, or even that something is wrong with your health insurance. If such an issue is true, you’ll be contacted through official means, not some random text message or phone call. And, again, you can always call the entity back, after looking up the correct phone number online, to verify any information you received. If you think you’ve received a coronavirus-related scam message, you can report it here. Doing so will help authorities clamp down on phishing campaigns and reduce the possibility of someone out there getting hacked. Most importantly: Check for misspelled links in your browser’s address bar. It’s easy to be fooled by a link that opens a legit-looking login page, only to have it steal your account info. If you’re in doubt, look up the real login page, and be sure to bookmark the real ones you use often so you know you’re getting the real thing. Similarly, make sure links from sources claiming to be official groups and government agencies actually point to a .gov or .org website. Don’t hand over your tax information, social security number, or bank account/credit card information unless you’re absolutely sure of who is receiving it. Neither the IRS nor your banks will ever ask for these over the phone or through an email. As always, never open links or download attachments from unknown sources.
I've heard for the longest about how countries like Nigeria, Russia, China, Pakistan etc are scam capitals etc. I think at this point especially after reading this thread I am convinced that the good ol USA is a bigger (sleeker) scam spot than any other place.
Jim Baker is at it again. https://www.kansascity.com/news/coronavirus/article242225266.html Televangelist who sold fake COVID-19 cure asks viewers for cash to avoid bankruptcy Televangelist Jim Bakker said he’s been cut off by credit card companies after he was accused of selling a fake coronavirus cure and asked viewers to send cash or checks or he may have to file for bankruptcy. “You can’t use credit cards if you do give to our ministry at this time because there’s a situation,” Bakker said on his show this week. He told viewers that the government said, “’You sold products that we didn’t approve of,’ but that’s not what we did.” Bakker was criticized for selling his “Silver Solution” as a cure for COVID-19 in February and the state of Missouri sued the televangelist last month, accusing him of lying to consumers, The Kansas City Star reports. New York’s attorney general also sent a cease and desist letter to Bakker demanding he stop marketing the fake cure. Now, Bakker and his wife and co-host Lori Bakker say their ministry, based outside Branson, Missouri, could face bankruptcy. “SOS, save our station, save our ship, help us stay on the air,” he said this week. “We’re asking people to give an offering, and we need a miracle.” “Your products are going to come to you. Every one of them will come to you, come right to your house, and if we can’t, we are going to refund. I will sell the buildings, parts of the buildings at Morningside in the long run if you give me a chance. Don’t let me have to file for bankruptcy,” he told viewers. “We need money to say on the air. I am just saying it bluntly,” he said. Bakker and his wife asked for people to buy their books or send in donations. “They’re already bleeding us to death, and now we’re going to have to pay lawyers that will bleed you to death,” Bakker said. Bakker said he pulled the “Silver Solution” from his website and is not marketing it on his show anymore. Jim Bakker was convicted on federal fraud charges in 1989 and served five years in prison, according to The Star.
