Hacker's Brief 12/8/2023
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The Payroll Pretender: A Jackson resident received an email with the subject: “Annual Payroll Adjustment Policy For For All “business name” Staff:_Please_Complete_Copy”. They stated that they have received several of these “notices” over the past few days, some which mention “end of year planning” for payroll and or taxes. Cautious of this email, they refused to respond or open any attachments. They believed it beneficial to share this information in an effort to alert other business owners of these potential scams. CyberWyoming Note: Be wary of unsolicited emails requesting payroll or tax-related information. Avoid opening attachments or responding to suspicious messages, especially if they contain unusual subject lines or requests for sensitive data. Stay vigilant and report any concerning emails.
Protecting Older Adults from Scams
Scam Prevalence: In 2022, scams resulted in $8.8 billion in losses, impacting older adults the most, according to the FTC.
Common Scams:
· "Grandparent" and romance scams, along with tech support and investment scams, target older individuals.
· Romance scams alone amounted to $1.3 billion in losses last year.
Key Strategies:
· Informative Discussions: Engage in informative discussions, respecting older adults' experiences, to raise awareness.
· Family Conversations: Regularly discussing evolving scam tactics as a family helps bolster vigilance.
Addressing Vulnerabilities:
· Older adults often lack digital literacy, making them more susceptible to online scams.
Essential Steps:
· Empathy for Victims: Encourage empathy for scam victims and recognize scams as orchestrated crimes.
· Planning and Resources: Develop a proactive plan for potential scams and utilize available resources like the National Council on Aging's guides and the AARP's Fraud Watch Network Helpline.
By maintaining open conversations, showing empathy, addressing vulnerabilities, and utilizing available resources, families can collectively fortify their defense against scams, safeguarding older adults in the digital age. – Brought to you by Associated Press News
Are you trading security over price? The National Cybersecurity Society is warning that online video applications, particularly free ones, are getting hacked. For secure calls, the NCSS recommends you consider a secure video conferencing solution, with the following features:
· Defined IP addresses (not randomly generated).
· Video Call Encryption 128 Bit AES protection (that can be easily enabled for secure calls).
· User Verification - have the verify the user and the ability to enable two factor authentication.
· Secure Storage (data and video can be stored securely).
· Ability to integrate into your existing IT infrastructure. Determine if you want to purchase the services from a video conferencing provider who can integrate security into performance in selecting equipment.
Health data is under attack: More patients were compromised in the 3rd Quarter of 2023 than all of 2022! One in four Americans have had their health data compromised this year: Cyber-attacks in the healthcare industry are only getting more common. … More than a quarter of the US population has had their health data exposed in security breaches this year, with a rise in ransomware attacks and other hacking efforts affecting nearly 87 million patients, according to internet security firm Atlas VPN. Data of more than 45 million patients was compromised in the third quarter of 2023 alone, up from the 37 million patients affected in all of 2022.
– Brought to you by Secure The Village
Utilities scams: These scams can be fake officials going door-to-door, telling you that your water or power is about to be shut off for non-payment. Sometimes they say they must do back-flow testing, and you must pay immediately. Mostly they contact citizens by mail, phone, email, or text with their demands for payment. If you are asked to obtain a pre-paid debit or credit card, to wire funds, or any other unconventional method of payment, do not agree to make a payment in this fashion and contact your utility company directly. NEVER provide personal or financial information in response to an unsolicited telephone call or email.
– Brought to you by Wyoming TEAM Networks
MS-ISAC and CISA Patch Now Alert: The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) or the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published a patch now (update your software) alert for Google Chrome, Google Drive for Desktop, Safari, Skype, Spotify, TeamViewer, Thunderbird, Apple products, Microsoft (365, Office and Edge), ExpressVPN, Firefox, and WordPress’s Elementor Website Builder Plug-in. If you use these products, make sure the software (or firmware) is updated.
Data Breaches in the News: Dollar Tree, Staples, New Relic, WeMystic, and The Hershey Company.
Note: If you have an account with one of these companies, be sure to change your password and consider placing a credit freeze on your accounts through the three credit reporting agencies: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax.
Please report scams you may experience to [email protected] to alert your friends and neighbors.
Other ways to report a scam: · Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker: http://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us/reportscam
· Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection o Email [email protected]
o Complaint form https://attorneygeneral.wyo.gov/law-office-division/consumer-protection-and-antitrust-unit/consumer-complaints · File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/
· Get steps to help at https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/Info-Lost-or-Stolen · Report your scam to the FBI at https://www.ic3.gov/Home/FileComplaint
· Reported unwanted calls to the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call Registration. Online at https://www.donotcall.gov/report.html or call 1-888-382-1222, option 3 · Office of the Inspector General: https://oig.ssa.gov/
· AARP Fraud Watch Network (any age welcome) Helpline 877-908-3360 · IRS: report email scams impersonating the IRS to [email protected]
· Call the Wyoming Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) for assistance with potential Medicare fraud, abuse, or errors at 1 800 856-4398
Victim Support: The AARP Fraud Watch Network and Volunteers of America (VOA) created a new, free program to provide emotional support for people impacted by a scam or fraud, called ReST. Visit http://www.aarp.org/fraudsupport to learn more about the free program and register.
