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Consumer Watch: How to avoid malware and other scams

By Ellen Phillips March 13, 2016 5 min read

Ellen Phillips photo for ConsumerWatch column that runs every Sunday – Please use this photo from now on

Tax tip

While I appreciate everyone who works for a living, I dislike debt collectors, particularly those who use intimidation and fear. Therefore, I was aghast to learn that our dear Congress recently passed a bill to allow debt collectors to call on behalf of the IRS. If you receive a call about overdue taxes, do not pay over the phone. If the person on the other end is genuinely authorized by the IRS, he will never ask for payment then and there. If he does, however, then be assured the call is a scam and hang up immediately. Report this episode to the real IRS.

Piggy-backing on last week’s column, it bears repeating that predators devise new plans each day to defraud the consumer, particularly older Americans. Scratching and clawing at our personal and financial information, scammers intend to top their current theft amount of $12.76 billion.

Here’s what to look out for:

1 Don’t ever click. Even if you’re starving and “Burger King” offers your entire family a free Whopper, hold off. Among the newer scams are those that appear to give away free restaurant food or a retailer’s gift card. This pitch is a phishing scam. The creep on the other end is either trying to install malware on your computer or elicit personal info by through an online questionnaire. Remember the adage, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” Search Google or Snopes (on offers such as Burger King gift card scam) to check if any warnings appear.

2 Family members – predominately widows – grieving over the loss of a loved one are especially vulnerable to scams. Scammers scour the obituaries, then call the closest person to the deceased. Posing as a bank official, the con artist tricks them out of money after weaseling personal info out of them. This scam can run into the thousands, but even if only a single dollar is lost, it’s time to shut these creeps down. Don’t depend upon your own sensibilities after a loss. When your mind is emotionally distraught, any fraudulent tactics that play on your emotions are often successful. It’s wise for a trusted family member or close friend to handle financial responsibilities for awhile. Be sure to alert this temporary advisor to follow up on any suspicious calls or emails.