Of the three threats on the radar, the first has Microsoft sounding another alarm about an active phishing and malware scam called ‘BazaCall’.
Some of the bait being used starts with a message you receive about a “copyright infringement”. Another hacker hook is fooling you into believing that you have a runaway “recurring subscription” that’s going to renew unless you confirm you want to end it.
What happens next is a new spin on the scam.
#1 Crooked Call Center Remote Takeover Scam
Instead of suckering people into clicking a link or downloading malware, the scam hoping to evade security software just got trickier. Now, it instructs victims to pick up their phone to dial a call center for assistance.
Eager to clear up this legal mistake or runaway bill being targeted at them, unsuspecting people turn to their phone and start dialing.
The crooked operators on the other end sound trustable enough to convince droves of every day people to allow control of their screen remotely to resolve the problem.
That’s when they attack.
The person on the other end of the phone is sneaking dangerous malware onto your device and installing ransomware without you knowing it.
Don’t take the bait in order avoid some serious security trouble and potential financial loss.
#2 Facebook “FlyTrap” Scam Targets Android
Scam #2 is infecting Android phones with the goal to steal personal data and Facebook credentials.
Dubbed the ‘FlyTrap’ attack, trojan malware is designed to scrape contacts from your phone. Once the first part of their trick unfolds, they pretend to be you. The scammer in part gets control of your Facebook credentials, location data and IP addresses.
Believe it or not, a few pieces of unique data can unlock a treasure trove of your personal world to a hacker. Then the scammer DM’s to your list of contacts with links that keep the cycle of the attack spreading fast and while amassing valuable stolen from you and your friends to sell on the dark web or steal directly from you.
While iPhone owners for the moment are off the hook from this deception, the ‘FlyTrap’ Android attack has already compromised 10,000 devices worldwide.
#3 IRS Child Tax Credit Scam
The third scam hits American families in the wallet. As tens of millions of parents are starting to receive Child Tax Credit money that will total up to $3,600 per child, the IRS is alerting that online criminals are amping up their dirty tricks targeting Americans directly in an attempt to steal the funds.
The scam involves fooling people into clicking on a malicious link that leads to a fake IRS website. Another version of the same scam sends you a message appearing to originate from the Secretary of the Treasury. It asks the victim to complete an “eligibility form”. The whole thing is bogus.
Any of these tricky scam topics you receive should raise a red flag for you. Do not click or engage any of them. The IRS will never call and leave threatening messages by phone or email. Never ever verify your information from a message received online or on your phone. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media,
TRICKY SCAM TOPICS TO AVOID
- Copyright Infringement notice
- Recurring subscription fees
- Messages from friends that seem out of cadence
- Confirmation emails that lead to divulging personal info
- All Child tax credit related topics
If you see any of these in your email, text messages or social media posts and messages, instead go to the sources directly without linking from a message.
Legit IRS Child Tax Credit Portal now available
Important to many American families trying to maximize their child tax credit income, a completely legit IRS portal has been created.
It lets you choose to receive a lump sum in 2022 versus monthly $300 payments. There’s a process to confirm your identity with the IRS choosing to use ID.me as their official identity verification platform. Never link from another email, social media post or text message to any of these sites to avoid being sent to a scammer spoof site.
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