Grateful to Ocala The Good Life Magazine for featuring Scammunition as their cover story! Here’s how to take a peek!    http://bit.ly/1D7vHd6

It’s that time of year again when deals and steals work  hand in hand. Online shopping is a breeze but consumers need to steer clear of pet scams, infected pizza, and phony payment plans. Here’s a look at some of the latest themes and schemes that will have buyers saying “No! No! No!” instead of “Ho! Ho! Ho!”

Warm fuzzy puppies can make a great gift for responsible pet lovers. Unfortunately, devious scammers use  pictures of non-existent animals as a ploy to lure unsuspecting buyers into deals that deplete funds and causes heartache when the promised pet doesn’t appear.  Never purchase a pet sight unseen and be leery of requests for additional charges for shipping, insurance, and unsubstantiated vet fees. Check out the facility where the dogs are kept and contact the American Kennel Club if purchasing a purebred dog. Be cautious of any deal that sounds too good to be true.

Pizza is the go-to choice for many families during the hectic holidays. Recently people in several states have received emailed coupons offering free pizza from Pizza Hut in honor of their  “55th Anniversary”  and the offer really is too good to be true. The coupon contains malware and if downloaded will cause damage to your computer system. Before clicking on the offer look at the sender’s address. Is it from Pizza Hut? Does hovering over the coupon show pizzahut.com? Did you find the email in your junk folder? Is Pizza Hut advertising the special deal on their website? If in doubt, toss it out!

PayPal is a convenient way for sellers and buyers to conduct payment transactions online. Scammers often “spoof” (impersonate) legitimate business sites in an effort to get your personal information and PayPal is not immune. Beware of  generic greetings in emails listing PayPal as the sender.  PayPal addresses each email with the full first and last names of their customers or the actual business name. They do not send attachments nor do they request bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, or passwords. If you suspect any suspicious activity on your account visit www.paypal.com or call 1-888-221-1161. Forward questionable emails to spoof@paypal.com.

It seems each year we need to learn something new in order to protect ourselves and loved ones from fraud. Please share what you know with others. Safety is a great gift and it’s free!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As we all know Ebola has been in the headlines for several weeks. Scammers wasted no time in devising deceptive schemes to capitalize on people’s fears and concerns. Here are some of the latest ploys making their way around various media outlets.

Numerous ads for supplements claiming to cure and/or prevent Ebola are popping up everywhere. There are even Ebola Prevention kits for sale which include gas masks and other equipment. designed to prevent an outbreak. Before ordering or taking any “Ebola miracle cure” supplements check with your health care professional and visit  the FDA at www.fda.gov   or call 1-888-463-6332 for additional information.

Scammers thrive on setting up fake charities whenever a disaster or incident requires financial help. No matter what the issue is, never give out your personal information online or on the phone. Before giving your hard earned money to a charity or cause check them out at www.charitynavigator.org or www.give.org . Your local BBB can also help. If you believe you’ve been victimized by a fraudulent charity or scheme contact the FTC at www.ftc.gov or call them at 1-877-382-4357.

It is always difficult to separate fact from fiction when dealing with serious issues such as Ebola. For updates and information please visit the CDC at www.cdc.gov or call 1-800-232-4636.

Please remember to check back for upcoming news and events. Thank you for your support! Happy Holidays!

 As autumn approaches hackers and scammers continue to  slither in cyberspace  concocting unlikely tales  and promising riches fit for kings and queens.  Hiding behind masks  of anonymity they embed  malware and viruses inside seemingly harmless posts and unsuspecting users become entangled in complex webs of deceit by pushing a single button.

Here’s  a few tips on how to avoid scary clicks and cheats:

If shopping online for costumes and holiday gear, be sure the URL is spelled correctly and look for HTTPS (not HTTP) and a padlock icon in the address bar before entering payment info. The “S” (secure) combined with the padlock  indicates your information is safe.

When visiting Facebook do not click on any links that promise a chance to win a new iPhone 6, a dream vacation,  a new car etc.  Clicking on phony links redirects your personal information to hackers intent on using it for their own personal gain.

Never give out personal information on social media and ignore any  emails or requests that demand your account information and/or password info. Your money will vanish and so will the cons. Report any issues to actual vendors when applicable and check your bills regularly for any unauthorized charges.

New scams and variations of old ones creep up this time of year  like goblins on Halloween. Make-believe is fun but  threats to your security are real. Be safe and don’t let your click become a treat for the greedy monsters hiding in their invisible worlds.

We’re all familiar with the small storage devices called thumb drives, flash drives, or memory sticks. A tiny circuit board holds vast amounts of information that we are able to share and retrieve within seconds and the added ease of portability is a plus when working on different devices. We all  take safety precautions on our personal electronic devices and need to take it a step further when using flash drives.

Many drives are preprogrammed by manufacturers to contain certain information. As users we have the ability to store whatever we want and therein lies  the problem. Hackers use their own flash drives to  install invasive and infected software  on  our computers and  our accounts and personal information are compromised  in seconds with the click of a button and a smile. By the time we find out, it may be too late to repair the damage. Here’s some tips to prevent a UFO attack:

Never let a stranger use your computer. In addition to invasive programs that  may be stored on their flash drives ,  malware, spyware, and other viral programs can be downloaded directly onto your hard drive. The saying “stranger danger” applies to electronics too!

Use only reputable services for repairs.

Keep your anti-virus programs up to date and schedule regular scans. Free anti-virus programs provide some protection, but remember, if it’s free to you, it’s free to hackers, too, and they can easily figure out ways to work within  those programs  as well.

Using USBS can be as easy as 1-2-3 and fraud awareness is totally free! Think twice before allowing anyone access to your devices and data and always PYA (Protect Your Assets)!

School may be out for the summer but scammers never take a break from ripping off consumers. Navigating scholarship and financial aid forms can be tricky, especially for students eager to continue their education. Many reputable businesses charge a fee to assist with the application process, but unscrupulous cons take the money and make promises they can’t keep.

There are no money-back guarantees when it comes to scholarship applications. Refund requirements are impossible to meet and students lose their money and scholarship opportunities in the process. High pressure sales tactics demanding up-front fees can be intimidating. Students can turn to counselors or other reputable sources for help.

Never give bank account or debit card information to “confirm eligibility” for a grant or loan or to “reserve” a scholarship. There is no such thing.

There is no fee to process a FAFSA application. For more information on financial aid options call 1-800-4-FED-AID or visit http://www.studentaid.gov and http://fafsa.ed.gov/options.

Have a safe and scam-free summer!

 Caller ID Spoofing is sweeping across the nation and startled consumers are seeing their own phone numbers displayed on their Caller ID screens. Here’s what you need to know about this numbers game.

Specialized software allows scammers to program their phones with telephone numbers that may look familiar in particular areas.  For example, local business  numbers and your neighbor’s name may appear on the screen in a ruse to get you to answer your phone. Offers to lower interest rates, apply for credit, or to verify  account information are all tactics to try to get you to reveal personal information. The numbers on the Caller ID screen are actually pilfered  from phone books and public records and are used as false identifiers for con artists making the calls.

The Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 was signed into law in December 2010 and prohibits the transmission of misleading or inaccurate Caller ID information with the intent to commit fraud or cause harm and includes strict penalties for violators.  If you are receiving suspicious calls or messages, don’t call back or press the buttons they request for a response. It lets the callers know they have reached a legitimate number and can pave the way for more calls.

Caller ID is not scam proof and can be manipulated so don’t use it as a  safety tool. Any requests for personal account information should raise red flags unless you have initiated the call and are certain of why the person is asking and remember that Robocalls are computer generated and bypass the Do Not Call Registry because the computers don’t check the list prior to dialing.

If you would like more information on Caller ID Spoofing or need to file a complaint please call the FCC at 1-888-225-5322 or visit their website at www.fcc.gov.  Let scammers know you’ve got their number!

The phone rings and an unfamiliar number flashes on Caller ID. A strange voice booms out of the receiver claiming you owe money to some company you never heard of and before you can answer, the recording beeps and your answering machine is full. The following day the same ritual repeats itself in the morning and again at night. Before responding to calls from strangers consumers need to know their rights when dealing with debt collectors.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) deals with the enforcement of rules set up by the Federal Trade Commission to protect consumers from certain deceptive or abusive debt collection practices. According to the FTC,  Debt Collection was the second highest complaint in 2013 with 204,644 complaints registered representing 10% of all complaints for the year. While many debt issues are legitimate and can be worked out in an appropriate manner, some unscrupulous callers bully, threaten, and frighten consumers in the quest to collect money. Here are some tips on your rights:

Calls are limited between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. unless you agree to other arrangements.

Within 5 days of first contact with you, a debt collector must send you a written notice which includes the name of the creditor, amount owed, and instructions on how to proceed to dispute the debt if you wish.

Threats, harassment, and fabrications are prohibited. Debt collectors cannot make false statements or misrepresent themselves in order to collect money nor can they threaten you in any way.

It is important to note that each state has their own set of debt collection laws in addition to the guidelines in FDCPA. For more information on your rights as a consumer visit the National Association of Attorneys General website at www.naag.org. There is a listing for each state which includes a mailing address, phone number, and email for contacting the proper department. The FTC also provides information at www.ftc.gov/credit or call them at 1-877-382-4357. No one likes to be in debt and knowing  your rights can lead to a payoff that pleases everyone.