Kelly Bullis
Let’s get one thing straight… there are EVIL people in this world. No just your average run-of-the-mill criminals, no I’m talking about straight up evil folks who don’t think twice about taking all of an elderly widow’s savings.
Hackers use any sliver of information they can get to trick you into opening your doors to them. Emails that look official from your bank, your credit card company, your insurance company, major vendors like Amazon, etc. NEVER click on anything. Instead call them (using phone numbers from reliable sources, not the one in the email) and verify the validity of the email.
Identity thieves can use your personal information to open credit accounts, other types of lender accounts you don’t know about. Best defense, use a third-party monitoring service like ID Theft Shield or Life Lock. Also install the app “Credit Karma” on your smartphone. You can check your major credit reports regularly from such an app.
If your credit card has been hacked, just call your credit card provider, and have it cancelled, they will issue you a new one. Downside is any services you’ve set up to pay automatically from that credit card (like PayPal, etc.) will need to be updated with the new card.
If your username and password have been hacked on one website, you probably use that on other websites too. Immediately change your passwords on all other websites because the evil thief will try that compromised info on other websites real quickly.
If you get a phone call from a relative claiming they need a wire to get them out of some trouble in another country, NEVER send money. Get a call back phone number, then hang up. Then call that person’s cell to verify where they are. Call their nearest relatives to find out where they are.
Are you getting a call from the IRS demanding you pay them or else they are coming to arrest you? Hang up! It’s NOT the IRS. They NEVER do such a tactic. They only send letters through the U.S. Mail to collect any taxes and unless you committed a crime, the IRS cannot have you arrested.
Anybody asking you to send them money via gift cards? Don’t. Whoever, whatever the issue is, it’s a scam. Anybody pressing you to send them money because of some emergency is most likely a scammer. Don’t do it! Work with other folks to find alternatives and verify the legitimacy of any money transfer request. NEVER handle such on your own.
One of the latest trends is to try to change the deed on your home. Best defense is to be proactive and verify the assessor has your correct mailing address, check your credit reports for any new mortgages on your property you didn’t do, etc.
Have you heard? Psalm 21:11 says, “For they intended evil against you. They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed.”
Kelly Bullis is a Certified Public Accountant in Carson City. Contact him at 775-882-4459. On the web at BullisAndCo.com. Also on Facebook.