| |
| |
|
Security Information |
|
|
|
Avoiding Scams: If It Sounds Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is
A week or so ago, I received an inquiry from a man in Indonesia about buying multiple copies of certain items on my website. I immediately suspected fraud, so I explained that I only had one piece of each. The man, who wrote impeccable English, said that was fine. I asked why he wanted to buy so much money's worth of jewelry (it was around $250). He said it was for his wife and daughters. He then asked if he could email me the billing and shipping info instead of using the catalog. I told him the catalog was better, since it was more secure, and figured if he was a scammer, it would be too much work for him. No such luck. He was unusually together. He placed an order for the same items he had asked about (most scammers forget). I started allowing myself to feel happy about such a large order and the money that would bring. At the same time, I started researching shipping to Indonesia, as well as fraud protection, and found that a) Indonesia is second only to Nigeria in credit card fraud levels, and b) jewelry is prohibited to ship to Indonesia. Per suggestions on another site, I asked the customer for a CVV number, the bank listed on the credit card, and the customer service number on the card. He sent me the CVV and customer service number. He also said he had just received a diamond ring sent to him, so he didn't think the prohibition existed. Today I started checking. I called the customer service phone number he gave me; it was for a Canadian bank, and the number didn't belong to one of their cards. The fishy smell grew stronger. I then contacted an American bank to find out where the number originated. They gave me the runaround for a while until someone there gave me the number for Visa International, 800-847-2911, since the card number started with a 4. Visa International told me which bank to call. When I finally got to the right bank, and told them I was a merchant checking on fraud, they confirmed my suspicions. The card was at an American address, and it had no other suspicious charges on it. I asked if there were any tiny charges, like for penny amounts. Indeed there were. This part is important! In Indonesia, they are very sophisticated; one of the ways they get credit card numbers is to run random computer-generated numbers with expiration dates until they get some that go through. They put through charges for tiny amounts that people won't bother to contest, and if the charge goes through, they know it's good. So do watch out for penny amounts showing up on your credit card bills. I asked the woman to check the CVV number as well, and she said it did not check out. So the charge would not have gone through anyway, but I feel better having checked, even if it took way too much time. Lesson: the scammers are getting more sophisticated all the time. They can also read materials on the internet that give warning signs about scammers. So they are trying to avoid some of the more obvious signs. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Author Susan Midlarsky of Aspiring Arts handcrafts jewelry with stones that harmonize well and are beneficial to the human body, color combinations that are connected to refinement, and sometimes offerings from nature. She has also recently started making glass beads; you can see her progress at her online blog. Susan loves the magical glow people feel upon finding a piece of jewelry that is exactly right for them.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Hacking Threats and Protective Security The 1998 Data Protection Act was not an extension to, but rather a replacement which retains the existing provisions of the data protection system established by the 1984 legislation. The Act was to come into force from 24 October 1998 but was delayed until 1st March 2000. Personal Firewalls for Home Users What is a Firewall?The term "firewall" illustrates a system that protects a network and the machines on them from various types of attack. Firewalls are geared towards keeping the server up all the time and protecting the entire network. Online Shoppers, Beware of a New Scam Beware of a New Scam Aimed at Bargain-HuntersTrying to buy something cheap is absolutely natural--and online crooks set traps for unwitting bargain-hunters. On April 6 Panda Software warned Internet users of a new particularly brazen scam aimed at stealing confidential information. Free Ways to Tackle Threats to Your Computer Protect Your PCHaving problems with your pc?Do your kids, family or friends fill it with all the stuff they find on the internet?Your computer, just like your car, needs to be serviced regularly to keep it running efficiently. You wouldn't fill your car up with petrol from an old rusty can with a layer of dirty water on the bottom, so you shouldn't allow your pc to be treated that way either. Protection for Your PC - Painless and Free! Viruses, Bugs, Worms, Dataminers, Spybots, and Trojan horses. The Internet is a veritable minefield of things that can invade your PC and affect it's Security and Performance. Message Board Security Problems Security leaks can be a big problem for any site using a message board. Hackers can actually use your message board to go in and change things on your site. Lets Talk About Antivirus Software! Nowadays more and more people are using a computer. A lot of them use it at their work place, but an increasing number of computer users have also discovered the need to have a computer at home. 6 Ways To Prevent Identity Theft These six ways to prevent identity theft offer you valuable tips against the fastest growing crime in America today. In 2004, more than 9. Internet Scams: Dont be a Victim As the number of people using the Internet as an integral part of their daily life grows, it is inevitable that the number of Internet Scams will grow. Unfortunately there are many forms of scams but in this article we will look at three of the most prominent. Backup and Save your business! There you are busily typing away on your PC or yourLaptop, and all of a sudden the strangest thing happens.The screen goes black, extinquished like a candle in thewind. Spyware Attacks! Windows Safe Mode is No Longer Safe Many of us have run into an annoying and time-consuming error. With your machine running goofey you decide to run a scan for trojans and spyware. How to Get Rid of New Sobig.F Virus? As you know, this time the virus under the name Sobig.F has wreaked quite havoc! No doubt, many of us have suffered from this recent virus outbreak. Identity Theft - Beware of Phishing Attacks! "Dear Bank of the West customer", the message begins. I've just received an e-mail message, purportedly from the security department at the Bank of the West. Five Excellent Indie Encryption And Security Solutions You Have Not Heard About 1. Geek Superherohttp://www. A Painless Plagiarism Solution A crowded marketplace can lead to unethical webmasters using underhand techniques to get ahead of their competitors and online plagiarism is one of the easiest.I had worked hard on the copy for my sales page at Watch Live Football (http://www. How Spyware Blaster Can Protect Your Computer From Harm By browsing a web page, you could infect your computer withspy ware, ad ware, dialers and hijackers. These, unwelcomeguests, are some of the fastest growing threats on theInternet today. Remove Rogue Desktop Icons Created By Spyware If you have used a Windows machine for a while, whether it's Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows 98, you're sure to have noticed desktop icons appearing from out of nowhere. How can icons mysteriously emerge on your Windows desktop?1. SPYWARE - Whos Watching Who? I am in the midst of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. "The basis of optimism is sheer terror. Consumers: Shop Online and Get Information Safely Do you really have to know how feeds work? Not really. But you do need to understand how they can benefit you as a consumer or as an information seeker. Reclaim Your PC from the Internet Spies Viruses are, however, not the only malicious software programs out there. The newest addition to the evil software family is the so called Spywares and a good anti-virus program or firewall is not enough to safeguard against these clever programs.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
