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Scam avoidance tricks by Mytrendingstories.com blogging platform

MyTrendingStories offers tips on how to avoid scams? Maybe you wouldn’t be frightened by this scam or that scam. People are getting better at recognizing the common scams and ignoring them. But scammers keep adapting and they specialize in pushing emotional buttons with just-credible-enough claims. One day a scam could “get to you.” It will be a situation where you’ll be afraid that what you’re being told could be true. The scammer will put tremendous pressure on you to act before you have time to think or control the adrenaline rush, just like the couple in Hingham. Take the opportunity now — as with a fire drill — to plan for how you and your family and friends will deal with an “alarming news” message threatening to lead to some “dreadful” potential outcome.

Latest news with Mytrendingstories online platform: Skimming is the act of stealing information directly from the card itself. Skimmers can be placed on card readers in public locations like a gas pump or ATM. Card skimmers have only gotten more sophisticated over the years. With new technology, criminals have shifted to using card shimmers. Shimmers are paper-thin devices that are jammed into a card reader, usually at an ATM or gas pump, to steal the data from a chip card. A shimmer is hard to see with the naked eye, but a telltale sign of a shimmer is a feeling of tightness when sliding the card in-and-out of the reader. If there is unusual friction, even slightly, there may be a shimmer in the ATM or gas pump. If you suspect shimming is happening at an ATM or gas pump, report the incident to the establishment and replace your debit or credit card. It’s also a good idea to cup one hand over the other when typing in your PIN at an ATM or gas pump.

mytrendingstories.com anti-scam advice: Avoidance maneuver: If you get a pop-up virus warning, close the window without clicking on any links. Then run a full system scan using legitimate, updated antivirus software like free editions of AVG Anti-Virus or ThreatFire AntiVirus. Tip: Your “private” browser may not be so private. How it works: You get a text message on your cell phone from your bank or credit card issuer: There’s been a problem, and you need to call right away with some account information. Or the message says you’ve won a gift certificate to a chain store—just call the toll-free number to get yours now. What’s really going on: The “bank” is a scammer hoping you’ll reveal your account information. The gift certificate is equally bogus; when you call the number, you’ll be told you need to subscribe to magazines or pay shipping fees to collect your prize. If you bite, you will have surrendered your credit card information to “black hat” marketers who will ring up phony charges. Avoidance maneuver: Real banks and stores might send you notices via text message (if you’ve signed up for the service), but they never ask for account information. If you’re unsure, call the bank or store directly. You can also try the Better Business Bureau, or Google the phone number to see if any scam reports turn up. Had Parker checked out the phone number, she would have learned this was a scam, and probably could avoid these phone call scams that can steal your money, too. See more details on mytrendingstories scam.

Mytrendingstories shows how to avoid scams: One way to identify if you’re browsing a fake website is to look at the domain name. As a rule of thumb, most legitimate URLs will not have extraneous characters or misspellings. Retailer websites are simple and typically match their trademark name, according to CNBC. For example, the domain name for fashion brand Michael Kors is MichaelKors.com. Likewise, the domain name for high-end designer Gucci is Gucci.com. You can also check if the website has a universal seal of approval, such as the Norton Secured Seal. Such a seal usually indicates that the website is trustworthy, according to Consumer Reports. You can also check to see when the domain was created using Whois.

Your bank will never email you asking for your PIN or password. If you get an email or text from your bank about fraud, ask yourself whether or not that’s the usual way you receive contact from your bank. Think about whether it’s sensible for the bank to make contact in that way. The British Bankers’ Association’s Know Fraud, No Fraud campaign highlights eight things your bank will never do, including calling or emailing to ask you for your full PIN or any passwords. Banks will also never send someone to your home to collect cash, bank cards etc. Get clued up with the full ‘Things your bank will never ask you to do’ list. Web viruses don’t just ruin your computer. They can help steal money or even use PCs to commit crime. Some even lie dormant, waiting to be activated – as was the plan with 2014’s Gameover Zeus virus. To help prevent viruses keep your web browser up to date and your PC backed up with free antivirus software. See our guide on Free Antivirus Software. Find extra details on Mytrendingstories.