Every Crime Has a Setup

Jules

Jules

SF VIP
5 Tips from Kim Komando’s newsletter, October 5th newsletter, The Current. It’s free

Every crime has a setup. In five recent cases, scammers turned online breadcrumbs into jackpots. I want you to know how to make sure you’re not their next payday.

❤️‍🩹 Your relationships​

Scammers stalk grief like predators. A Pennsylvania widow was conned out of her entire life savings, over $200,000 plus her home, by a romance scammer she met on Facebook. A 63-year-old widower sold his condo and wired $80,000 to a “friend” who convinced him to invest in a sure crypto thing.
Pro tip: Don’t list “widowed” on dating or social apps. To criminals, it’s a dollar sign.

⛱️ Your vacations​

One woman proudly shared a pic of her cruise tickets on Facebook. Scammers used her booking code to hijack the account and cancel the trip to get the refund. She lost $15,000, a vacation and her family’s respect in one click.
Pro tip: Post vacation pics after the trip. Announcing you’re away makes you a target for hackers and burglars.

🗣️ Your videos​

AI deepfakes are a booming business. One TikTok user found her face and voice cloned to sell knockoff diet pills. Thieves raked in tens of thousands using her identity.
Pro tip: Set your videos to private or limit followers. The better the footage, the easier you are to clone.

🫰🏼 Your sales​

In South Carolina, a man listed a limited-edition PlayStation online. When he met the “buyer,” instead of cash, he got a gun in his face. The robber made off with the console plus his phone, watch and wallet for a $3,000+ haul.
Pro tip: Meet in a police station parking lot. If a buyer balks, they aren't legit.

🚶🏼‍♀️‍➡️ Your miles​

GPS walking, hiking and biking routes can be a jackpot for burglars. Secret Service agents accidentally exposed patrol patterns for the president and others on Strava. Home break-ins have been tied to thieves tracking when residents aren’t home.
Pro tip: Lock down your fitness app privacy settings. Hide the start and end points near your house.
 

I never post about a vacation before leaving or while I'm gone. Am not on Insta and almost never go on FB anymore. I only maintain a FB account because it's the only contact opportunity I have with numerous friends from the past.

Like many billionaires, Mark Zuckerberg's conscience is limited to his wallet. While FB provides valuable connection opportities, it's also a steaming pile of rumors, misinformation, disinformation, scams, spams, bots, opportunists, bullies, catfishers, and people generally behaving badly.

Since Zuckerberg controls 58% of FB's voting rights, IMHO he's personally responsible for the terrible mess FB has become.

Sorry to go off topic, but the above is why posting travel plans on social media platforms (SF included) isn't a wise idea.
 
StarSong said:
I never post about a vacation before leaving or while I'm gone. Am not on Insta and almost never go on FB anymore. I only maintain a FB account because it's the only contact opportunity I have with numerous friends from the past.

Like many billionaires, Mark Zuckerberg's conscience is limited to his wallet. While FB provides valuable connection opportities, it's also a steaming pile of rumors, misinformation, disinformation, scams, spams, bots, opportunists, bullies, catfishers, and people generally behaving badly.

Since Zuckerberg controls 58% of FB's voting rights, IMHO he's personally responsible for the terrible mess FB has become.

Sorry to go off topic, but the above is why posting travel plans on social media platforms (SF included) isn't a wise idea.
Click to expand...
My 2nd husband's father (who passed away before we married) use to tell him "(You can) let people know where you've been, but don't let them know where you're going". That had nothing to do with Facebook or networking sites . I agree with his statement.
 

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