Scams Are 'ALIVE & KICKING'!!!

Scams Are 'ALIVE & KICKING'!!!

SCAMS as a thread may seem worn out OR too stretched.  BUT Scams Are 'ALIVE & KICKING'!!!  While most people are aware of SCAMS targeting their personal detail, banking information, OR even cash, some believe they are too knowledgeable to fall victim to SCAMMERS, be it through email, SMS or phone calls.  Increasingly, however, SCAMMING methods evolving.  And these days, SCAMS can leverage artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and the ever-changing digital landscape📗📙📘

Even people as savvy as financial advisors and techies have recently admitted to being tricked into handling over tens of thousands of monies to someone pretending to be someone [to WHOM they will smoothly fall prey to].  BUT you might challenge me like, SCAMS ARE NOTHING NEW and you are correct.  Thing is, different types of fraud and tricks have been used by unscrupulous people for thousands of years.  In this modern era, however, the anonymity of the internet allows SCAMMERS to distance themselves emotionally from their victims, and it's become much easier for them to perform their tactics with success💧💧💧

Allow me to share first-hand SCAMS which I personally experienced.  Last month, I received a phone call from a mobile number NOT in my phonebook, which call I consciously accepted.  And at the other end of the line was a sweet-talking lady [YESSSS, they will choose the best audio to lure especially men!@#$%?] WHO first asked to confirm my full name which I confirmed and then she moved on to her spiel💥💥💥

She then asked me to confirm if I was the account holder of a specific account from one of my bankers, to WHICH, I confirmed. Next thing was, she was asking me to go to my bank branch for reconfirmation of my account.  That confirmed my doubts because through the years, I was NEVER required by any banker to personally go to my bank branch to renew OR reconfirm the validity of my account.  You might ask, HOW can I get scammed if I said to the caller that YES I'LL GO to my bank branch.  To me, that's just her 'OPENING LINE'  Once I acquiesce to her INVITE, surely the next thing is, she will lure me into something that will push at least one of my feet out into the frying pan, ready for her SCAM tactic❌❌❌

Our takeaway:  Be super-duper wary of SPOOFING.  Just last week, I was driving, I received an SMS from a sender reflecting the valid and correct name.  The SMS advised me that my rewards amounting to 3,501 was about to expire "TOMORROW".  First thing I did, I called my telco provider and I asked them to reconfirm that SMS.  Alas, they admitted that their SMS Server was 'SPOOFED' which they're currently investigating.  Lesson here, DON'T take things at face value.  Call your banker, service provider and BY DEFAULT, every unsolicited message should be diligently scrutinized.  SCAMS ARE ALIVE & KICKING dude!!!