A Gila Woodpecker in our backyard. This photo has nothing to do with my story today, but I thought you might enjoy it.
I received a strange envelope in the mail with a black and white flyer inside. It said, “Thank you! Thank you so much for your purchase! We truly appreciate your support and hope you enjoy your product.” Then there was a logo and the company name, which I didn’t recognize.
I looked through my Amazon orders to see if I purchased anything from them. I did not.
I went to their website and didn’t recognize it. It had a variety of tabs across the top for products, shopping, etc. I wanted to know what products they sold, so I clicked a tab and nothing happened. Then I clicked on another. A scary thought dawned on me. Maybe they sent me the strange envelope and flyer to get me to visit their website and click! I used my map app to look at their address. It didn’t exist.
I called my brilliant son and thankfully he answered in the middle of his work day. I explained, while freaking out, what I had done. He googled the company and said it came up as a known hacker site.
I told my son I had purchased Malwarebytes to scan for malware. He said I also needed to use a password manager, which he has been telling me for years. He did set one up for me years ago but I must have made a typo in the master password and I was never able to use it.
By using Facetime, my son accessed my computer and took over. We spent the next three hours on my computer updating passwords. He had me practice the last hour and I’ve spent the better part of the weekend working on this tedious but well-needed project. Next, he’s going to take over hubby’s computer and help him through the same project.
I read a page on USPS.com about scams. Usually the scammer mails merchandise to the unsuspecting victim. The person who receives the package knows they didn’t order whatever is in the package and wants to return it to the sender. The scammer uses the recipient’s name and address to create a fake “verified buyer” account, posting glowing reviews to boost their product ratings. USPS says to throw the stuff away or keep it. Buy do not engage with the sender. They call this scam “brushing.”
My husband said he’s so thankful he’s not the one to click on a potential dangerous site, but that it was me. That’s because we’ve always been wary that he would click on an email or link that he shouldn’t. It’s been a running joke in the family.
My son says AI is going to bring scams to a new level and that as boomers we are targets.
Needless to say, I’m behind in my reading and commenting on blogs. But as this project winds down, I’ll catch up!
Have you heard of my scam or been scammed yourself? If so, what did you do?
The Curve-Billed Thrasher at the bird bath.
I thought of this song when I wrote my title for today.
That is quite scary for you. Lucky you have a clever tech savvy son
I’m so thankful for my son. He’s been after us to use a password manager, so this was a wake up call.
The way I understand it is that if a website tries to install malware on your computer, Windows will display a message requesting your permission. So if you don’t give this permission you’ll probably be okay.
However, it may be possible that malware may linger in your computer’s RAM memory. To get rid of that, you should reboot, which clears RAM.
I use a Mac, so I don’t know if a message is displayed. That would be helpful. I did shut down my computer immediately. I didn’t know why, just that it sounded sensible.
That was a good idea. If any bad stuff got into your RAM memory, shutting the computer off would erase it.
Thank you for that info! I didn’t know that. In case my computer was being hacked, I thought turning it off could stop it.
Well, it’s unlikely any serious hacker would want to hack into your computer, my computer, or most anyone else’s computer. They generally target large institutions, for the purpose of robbing them, disrupting them, or for some other nefarious reason.
But they might try to phish you for identity theft purposes, or for stealing a password to get into your bank account. Or they might be trying to spread malware, just to screw around with people in general, or to hold your computer for ransom, or to turn your computer into a robotic spreader of their email.
I’m feeling much better than I did. The password manager sure helps. I think you’re right. I’d be more of a target of phishing than having my computer hacked. I get phishing emails all the time. I’m surprised at how many people fall for the gift card scams the government or a vendor wants you to pay with gift cards. My daughter had a swimmer on her team her senior year in college who got a call from the IRS. He was told to pay several thousand dollars in Apple gift cards. He emptied his college fund and did it. Now he’s a doctor. Isn’t that scary?
Yes, that is scary. I wouldn’t want that dummy to be my doctor.
I know!
I’m sorry EA. It takes so much time and effort to fix these issues. I am really wary anymore. I get so many scam texts from unknown #’s my blocked list is enormous. Unless it’s a recognized contact phone # everything else goes to spam. Same with emails and I know to hover over the URL which almost always is some made up email so those go directly to blocked/spam also. So far I’ve not been sent anything, but I know who I buy from so I think I would suspect spam right away. I don’t get many flyer type mailings anymore since I’m not the homeowner but I still just toss anything if I do without even looking or opening. I think it helps to limit how active you are online in general and in the types of shopping and sites you visit. The more you put yourself out there the easier it is for scammers to find you.
I am with you on checking who emails are from. I also never answer a call if I don’t recognize the number. If it’s legitimate, they will leave a message. This was a wake up call to use a password manager and delete personal information on websites I no longer use. Yes, it’s painful, but not was painful as being scammed.
Your son’s reaction and getting on Facetime to access your computer is quick thinking! No, but they try to scam new authors all the time sometimes by telling white lies (little ones) about the cost of publishing a book on your own or enticing you to offer money for a book video. Some are scams. I remember reading a comment by one man on an author site who said he paid $3 to publish each book through a well known site. Sometimes you don’t know who to believe. Do your research. Glad your son came through in the middle of the day for you!
This was the first time I was able to reach my son during working hours. I was so relieved. Last night he got on my husband computer and got him started on using a password manager. I didn’t know Facetime allowed you to access another person’s computer. I almost never use Facetime except when our kids want to show us something. In my daughter’s case, it’s her pug Waffles.
We have heard of the brushing scam before but it does make people leery to buy some things online. I know an author friend has purchased editorial help online and paid for her books online. She paid a blogger she never met to design her website. I think she is very trusting. I prefer to deal in person. Glad Michael designed my cover and website. Editorial was finished by publisher. The thing about the web is that people can easily lie or bend the truth. Sometimes from time to time, I have even wondered if they are who they say. You can say anything, hence the unbelievable price of $3 a novel.
I got your book and the cover looks great. I’m halfway through reading another book and then I’ll start yours. That would be trusting to hire a blogger she’s never met to design her website. I hope it all worked out well for her, the editorial help and books. I ran into a woman at the grocery story who asked the cashier while I was checking out, “Where are the gift cards?” Then the woman explained that she was ordering products online and was told to purchase gift cards to pay. The cashier and I explained that no legitimate business was going to accept payment by gift cards. That it should be a credit card purchase. The gift cards can’t be traced.
Thank goodness for your son’s expertise! Yikes! Sorry to hear this happened but thanks for sharing for the rest of us who could be scammed too!
I never suspected something delivered by old fashioned mail could be a scam! I’m so thankful for my son’s help.
Wow man, I’m glad you avoided this scam! Gladly nothing like that has happened to me yet. I do get two to four spam calls per day with the accompanying voicemail.
Delete and block!
These people are scum. They think that being Boomers makes us dumb but the joke is on them. Great song! I miss my long 1970s hair…
I’m so glad I avoided this scam, too. I learned something new and will be wary of strange packages and letters. Also, I won’t go directly to websites but google about the sites. I get a ton of scam emails and calls, too.
How awful! I’m glad you got things sorted out without any negative repercussions. I’m glad you’re stepping up your computer security… the hackers are getting more and more savvy.
My son said we have so much information out on the web and that the scammers know exactly who they are targeting. Isn’t that a scary thought. I know you’re very sophisticated with computer security.
Your son’s line about AI taking scams to a new level is the one that should concern everyone, not just boomers. The brushing scam detail is something most people have never heard of and genuinely needed to know. Glad you caught it before it got worse.
USPS has a detailed list of scams to read. I had never heard of brushing before. AI is going to make scams easier to carry out.
I don’t want to jinx myself. I have noticed an uptick in my spam folder of really gross emails
Don’t jinx yourself! The emails and texts have increased in number exponentially.
This is my own personal nightmare!!!! I try to be smart about tech but it’s so easy to fall into traps. Glad to hear that you jumped on it so quickly. Sending best wishes that this is the last of it!!! 😎
Thank you. So far, so good. It was a wake up call if nothing else!
A curved bill thrasher! How exotic.
I’m hyper vigilant about scams as our bank card was hacked years ago. My husband is more easily duped and I have to constantly remind him not to respond to anything without checking first.
The thrasher is the bully bird of our backyard. With that beak, the other birds do what he wants! My husband is like yours and the kids and I constantly worry that he’ll answer the phone to unknown numbers and click on stuff. That’s why he’s so happy it’s me who went to the questionable website and clicked!