phishing

Parcel Scam Alert

/ Sarah Collins / Leave a comment

Below is a text I received on Christmas Eve, and it is a scam! Either they were phishing for information or worst:

+1 (402) 378-1378

Parcel Tracking: Hi, your package with tracking number ZZBURAHH is waiting for you to check the shipment address: spreadbrief.com/DemUgCq

It looked like it could have been legit with the a few problems:

  1. I never get text message starting in +1. I believe that to use +1 the message was probably sent from another country.
  2. I never seen a tracking number like “ZZBURAHH”. Personally, to me it sounds like “Brouhaha”
  3. I was only expecting packages from UPS or USPS.

First, I did a web search on the number. The results did not return any legitimate businesses. If a legit company was going to text me, I would expect to find their business on the web searching by their phone number.

Next I used WHOIS to look up the domain and I found problems:

  1. The domain was created the same day the text was sent.
  2. The domain owner was in another country.
  3. Most of the contact information on the domain was redacted for privacy. If you look at a legit company’s domain registration, such as UPS, they provide a mailing address and phone number.

Lastly, I emailed the text to myself and reported it to the domain provider. On WHOIS an email address is provided to report abuse.

Recommendation: Never click on a link you receive in a text or email.

Beware of Fraud

/ Sarah Collins / Leave a comment

Last night I got the text message shown below. It is obviously fraud. They want you to click the link so they can: a) steal your data; b) install malware, ransomware, and/or a virus on your device; or c) sell you something.

How do I know it is fraud: First, I don’t have a Debit card with Chase. Second, none of the financial institutions I deal with send text messages with a 10 digit number. Third, there is a space before the semi-colon. Fourth, I get text messages and notifications every time a charge is made on my card.

How can you protect yourself? Never click on a link in a text message. If you are worried about your account, go directly to the website or log on to their app. Get notified when charges are made on your card. You maybe able to detect fraudulent charges before the financial institution.

Junk Mail Beware

/ Sarah Collins / 2 Comments

I use Microsoft Outlook for some of my email.  However, I have it set up to send almost everything (with a few exceptions) automatically to Junk Mail.  At last count, I have 680 items sitting in Junk Mail and that with Outlook deleting junk mail over 30 days old.

Daily I get at least one of these from Outlook:

Screenshot_2015-09-08-18-48-53

Around 90% of the time, I click the button to tell Outlook whether or not it is Junk Mail.  If I have every done business with the person or company sending it, it is Not Junk.  Because of my settings, it will stay in the Junk Mail folder.  If it is not someone I remember, I flag it as junk.  If it is a really offensive or dangerous, I block the email sender or report it to Outlook as phishing.  This is my little way of getting even with all the Spammer out there.

It was not until today, I never read the response screen from Outlook.

Screenshot_2015-09-08-15-51-43

I agree that spam is one of the great evils of this world. If you sent me some unsolicited, I will either block you or worst report you for phishing.