Community Chat

[dooBdoo]

As an aside... it's actually easier to spot the problem in this example since we have the valid URL positioned next to the imposter.   

Our eyes see the 2 juxtaposed, and a comparison makes it at least a wee bit more likely we'll notice the difference. 

On the other hand, when we receive nefarious email messages, texts, etc., they likely won't have the valid URL there for us to see for comparison...  and that way it's even more likely they'll catch us in their trap.

Thanks for this thread, @Pezzie.  Always good to have our eyes open.🌻

[meallen616]

@Pezzie,

Thank you for this post, much appreciated!

[SaveTheTurtles]

Had to look at each letter before I spotted the "a" was different from the rest. Never hurts to be reminded of the scams out there.

[Othereeeen]

@Pezzie 

Great post....never hurts to remind people and to provide examples...

We get bombarded with emails, texts, etc...that our eyes probably DO easily glide right over those subtle differences....I didn't see it til I read the explanation!

Scammers COUNT on that.

Better to just make it a habit that if YOU don't initiate the call, email, text to the financial institution, don't answer, or if you DO, don't give out ANY information.

What I hate lately is scam calls I dont' answer that leave LONG blank "messages" on my answering service ( 30-50 seconds of silence). I suppose it's just another way for them to determine if a line is "real" or not.

Medicare calls, Advantage plan calls and phoney police donation solitications are coming out of the woodwork.

The Police ones happen every time there's a police officer  death by shooting. 

Sigh.

Theh irony is that....recently I applied for a CC in the bank I've used forever, online. WIthin minutes, my phone rang, the Caller ID said it was the bank....and they needed "more information" for my application.

I refused to answer any of her questions, and said I NEVER give out info on calls I didn't initiate...she got a bit huffy and hung up on me.

I called the bank back after that call and NO they did not call me for more information.

That's how fast it happens today.

I have no idea how they do it, but it's insidious.

[Love my grandkids]

@Pezzie Excellent. I'm one who looks very carefully at this stuff.

Also, hold your cursor over the sender's address and you'll see if it's fake or not, usually.

Those cyrillic letters are a dead giveaway.

[NYCLatinaMe]

If one right clicks on the email address, one can see what it is, and can usually tell if it's legit.

[on the bay]

Wow-thanks for this @Pezzie!

For me it just reminds me all over again not to respond to emails, click on anything, answer anything from an email or text from a business I know and just go to the website and sign in.

Because I would never notice things like that and probably also would forget to hover over the email which I"ve done sometimes but not often.

Great reminder to be very cautious and not take anything for granted

that it's legitimate.

[Nightowlz]

I don't click on links in emails. I don't click on links in emails from those I know where I receive billing info from. I go direct to their site. 

I have 2 emails in my SPAM folder right now that I blocked. I didn't open them at all. I know they are scams. 

[RetRN]

Our BBB just recently said on our local news channel that it is not just the elderly who have been scammed, but some pretty savvy younger people it has even happened to. They are more reluctant to report it because they feel they should have known better.

[Goodie2shoes]

@ Pezzie Thank you !   I love it when someone post an alert such as this ! Hopefully it keeps another person from losing their hard earned money.  I was not aware of this but I am now.