Fraud

A: The dark web is the deepest layer of the internet that isn’t visible to the average browser. Unfortunately, its name is a perfect description of its function, as the dark web is full of illegal activities and crimes. Let’s take a closer look at the dark web and how you can protect your information from being caught in its trap.

What is the dark web?

The internet has been likened to an iceberg. There is very little of it that is truly visible above the surface, but it is enormous, dark and deep underneath.

There are three basic components of the internet: 

• The surface web–this involves all websites and landing pages that can easily be accessed through popular search engines and by inputting a URL/address directly into a web browser address bar.

• The deep web–this includes private, but not invisible accounts, such as social media pages, retail accounts, membership websites, confidential corporate webpages, medical records and more. All content on the deep web is safeguarded by a paywall or sign-in credentials. Experts have estimated that up to 99% of the internet is comprised of the deep web.
• The dark web–the final layer of the internet can only be accessed by downloading special browsing software called Tor. Tor masks IP addresses and instantly renders all visitors anonymous. This is where scammers can buy and sell personal information including credit card numbers, checking account details, Social Security numbers, health records and more.

Despite its name, not all of the activity that takes place on the dark web is illegal. The deepest part of the internet also provides a platform for communication and commerce among people living in countries that have heavy censorship over online activity. In addition, the dark web was originally used by the United States Department of Defense to communicate anonymously.

Unfortunately, though, the dark web remains a hotbed of criminal activity. Loads of illegal trade takes place through the dark web, including drugs, firearms, counterfeit money, subscription credentials and personal information of thousands of targets. The inherent anonymity of the dark web allows hackers and scammers to roam free without fear of being caught.

How does the dark web work?

The dark web, and by extension the Tor browser, uses a technology known as “onion routing.” This technology uses multiple layers of encryption and redirection to assure anonymity for every browser. When a browser tries to access a site on the dark web, its information will be routed through thousands of relay points, making it impossible to identify and trace.

How can I protect myself from the dark web?

It’s important to take preventative measures to protect your information from the dark web. Here’s how:

• Enable two-step authentication on all online accounts. This includes accounts with access to sensitive information, as well as accounts that can be used to collect innocuous but potentially identifying information, like social media accounts.
• Consistently monitor your credit for fraudulent activity. Review your accounts at the end of each billing period and request an annual free credit report. Report any suspicious activity to your credit card company immediately. You can also ask the company to send you automatic alerts if there are any large purchases made or new accounts opened in your name.
• Use strong, unique passwords for all your accounts. Vary your capitalization use, numbers, words and symbols. For optimal protection, switch up your passwords every few months.
• Never share your personal information with an unverified source. This includes an email from a contact you’ve never engaged with before, phone calls from an unknown caller and a downloaded link from a banner ad.
• Run a dark web scan on your devices. This will tell you if your information is already on the dark web. If the scan is positive, reach out to your credit card issuers to discuss placing a fraud alert on your accounts and a credit freeze in your name.

The dark web is fraught with danger and impossible to trace but there are ways to protect your information. Use the tips outlined here to stay safe.

Technology has made it far too easy and cheap for scammers to place a huge number of robocalls in seconds. New robocall platforms can make up to 5,000 simultaneous calls a second for as little as a dollar. Even if only 10 of these phone calls have their desired effect on the targets, the scammers have pulled in a solid profit.

Here’s what you need to know about phone scams and how to avoid them.

Traffic pumping

According to federal law, rural carriers are allowed to charge wireless and long-distance carriers higher fees for calls to local subscribers. To earn a quick buck – or a few hundred – rural carriers partner up with chat lines, adult entertainment numbers and “free” conference call service providers, as well as other numbers that are based overseas. Their goal is to artificially inflate the call volume in the home area codes of the rural carriers so they, in turn, can bill the wireless and long-distance companies an exorbitant amount of money and give the chat lines a kickback, too. This is known as “traffic pumping.”

The bad news for private consumers is that their wireless or landline provider will pass the higher cost structure onto them. Sometimes, the caller will be warned of a higher charge, but other times, the consumer will believe these calls are completely free – until the bill arrives.

Area code alert: The 712 area code and the 218 area code are infamous for traffic pumping.

The one-ring scam

In this ruse, scammers use robocalling technology to call wireless numbers and hang up after only one ring. The scammers are hoping the target will be curious and careless enough to return the call. If they do, they will likely be calling a number in the Caribbean, which can cost them up to $30 a minute. A prevalent one-ring scam that originates in Japan brings that cost up to $50 a minute!

Whenever you receive a call from an unfamiliar number, it’s best to let it go to voicemail instead of picking up. Curious enough to return a one-ring call? First Google the number to see who the caller is. If it’s a scammer, you’ll likely find some warnings posted online when you look up the number.

Area code alert: The FTC warns consumers about returning one-ring calls from these area codes:

• 268–Antigua and Barbuda
• 284–British Virgin Islands
• 473–Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique
• 664–Montserrat
• 649–Turks and Caicos Islands
• 767–Commonwealth of Dominica
• 809, 829, 849–Dominican Republic
• 876–Jamaica

When an unfamiliar number comes up on your phone screen, you’re better off waiting for a voicemail to determine if you have a legitimate caller before calling it back. You can also Google the phone number itself. If the number is a scam, chances are good that others will have posted warnings about it online.

Protect your phone

If the robocalls are driving you crazy, there are steps you can take to limit the amount that reach your phone. First, place your number on the Do Not Call list. You can also reach out to your phone service provider to ask about robocall blocking functionality they may offer, though you may need to pay for this extra service. Finally, consider using a robocall-blocking app, like Hiya, YouMail or RoboKiller.

Think twice before picking up the phone from an unknown caller, or returning a call from an unfamiliar number. Stay safe!

Here are four scams to watch out for this Black Friday and throughout the holiday shopping season:

1. The Amazon Prime service fraud scam

In this ruse, a scammer posing as an Amazon representative will call a target to notify them about an alleged problem with their Prime account. The victim will be prompted to download a tool on their computer or mobile device. That “tool” will give the scammer remote access to “help them resolve the problem” that is at hand. If they comply, the victim will then be instructed to log onto their banking account, supposedly so the caller can be compensated for their time. Unfortunately, doing this will give the scammer direct access to the victim’s accounts.

2. Phishing emails

Phishing emails are nothing new, but they can be difficult to spot among the barrage of promotional emails flooding inboxes during this time of year.

Here are two common variations of phishing scams:

• Account verification. The victim receives an email appearing to be from a retailer they frequently shop. It informs them that someone has tried to hack into their account. They’re asked to verify their account, or update their account details, through an embedded link. Doing so, however, will give a scammer access to their account. The scammer can now rack up a huge bill and leave the victim to pick up the tab.
• Order confirmation. The victim receives an email asking them to confirm an order made through Amazon or another large e-tailer. They’ll be asked to verify the order details through an embedded link. Unfortunately, doing so will give their personal information directly to the scammers.

3. Delivery issues

The coronavirus pandemic has forever changed the way Americans shop. It’s resulted in the volume of U.S. online purchases increasing steadily, according to the Census Bureau’s quarterly e-commerce reports. Scammers are well aware of this, and they’ve been quick to capitalize on the opportunities to pull off delivery scams, especially this time of year.

Delivery scams generally take the form of a message appearing to be from UPS, FedEx or another delivery service, informing the victim of a “delivery issue” with an order. They’ll be asked to confirm or update their information with the provided link. Doing so will give the scammer access to their financial information and open the door to identity theft and more.

In another variation of the delivery scam, a victim will be asked to pay a fee for covering a customs charge or tax. Of course, these fees are invented by the scammer, who will gladly pocket the money.

4. Non-delivery scam

Another scam whose prevalence has spiked with the increase in online shopping is the non-delivery scam, which involves a purchased gift that never arrives. The victim, likely lured in by an ad promising a super-low price on a desired item, rushed to complete the purchase without researching the seller. Unfortunately, the seller then disappears and the victim has no way of notifying them about the no-show or requesting a refund.

How to avoid Black Friday scams

Follow these tips to keep your shopping free of scams:

• Don’t open links in emails sent from unverified contacts.
• Never allow a stranger access to your device and/or accounts.
• Don’t share sensitive information on the phone or online with an unknown contact.
• If contacted by an alleged representative of Amazon or another large company about an issue with your account, hang up and check your account to see if an issue is actually present.
• Always keep the privacy and spam settings on your computer and mobile devices at their strongest settings.
• If you have an issue with an ordered item, contact the retailer directly through their site and not through a pop-up ad appearing to represent them. Likewise, it’s a good idea to not click through to “support links” that are posted on troubleshooting forums, as they may not be to legitimate service sites.
• Only purchase items from reputable sellers. When shopping on a new site, look for a physical address, a customer service number and copy that’s free of spelling errors and typos.

Stay safe!

Your Turn: Have you been targeted by a Black Friday scam? Tell us about it in the comments.

 1. The Joker

Desperate for money before the holiday shopping season hits? Looking to pad your pockets with a bit of extra cash? Scammers know this all too well, and target consumers with messages promising loads of money for very little work. All you need to do is send a small amount of money to a designated digital address via CashApp, Venmo, or another money transfer app, and your money will be doubled, tripled, or more.

Don’t fall for the tricks! Much like another variation of the money-flipping scam, they’ll ask you to share your account information so they can withdraw the money and then “treat” you with the cash you’ve earned. It’s like getting free money – which, of course, doesn’t exist.

Spot a money-flipping scam through the amateur writing and too-good-to-be-true promises. Any request for you to share your banking information is another dead giveaway.

2. Night of the Living Dead

This scam can be pulled off at any time of year, but it takes on an extra level of spookiness when yards are decorated with ghosts and cobwebby graveyards. In the deceased identity theft scam, scammers actually steal the identity of someone who is no longer living. They may empty the decedent’s accounts, pass off their credit history as their own and use their Social Security number to collect benefits, apply for a job, and more.

Protect a loved one’s identity from being stolen after they pass on by taking steps to lock down their social media accounts, credit report, and Social Security number. Keep an eye on their accounts until their assets have been lawfully divided.

3. Trick or Treat

You found the perfect costume online, and for a bargain price! You happily pay up, complete your order and wait for the package to arrive. And wait. And wait. Unfortunately, you’ve been tricked.

In a variation of the online order scam, the package arrives on your doorstep as promised, but has little resemblance to the way it looked online. The quality may be lacking, the size and color completely off, or important components missing. You may try to find a customer service line, but there’s no working number listed. You may also try returning the purchase, but a street address for returns will be more elusive than the invisible man.

Don’t get tricked! Only order from reputable sites that display complete contact information for the company. Ignore all offers that scream “Hot Deal! Act Now!” and feature prices that are way below the average sale price. Shop with caution and you’ll only walk away with treats.

4. Hitman

There’s a hitman at your door – and no, this is no disguise!

In the hitman scam, scammers pretend to be assassins who were hired to take out a target. They’ll send the target extortion emails and messages, promising to spare their life for just a few thousand dollars. Often, they’ll even drop the name of the friend or family member who allegedly put a hit on the target’s life.

Don’t get scammed! If you receive an extortion message of any kind, contact local law enforcement. Never share money with an unverified contact. And finally, if the scammer shared the name of the person who allegedly hired them, reach out to this person to verify that no, they didn’t put a hit on your life.

It’s a frightening world out there, but being aware of these scams and following smart precautions, you can protect your money and your information.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Your Turn: If you think you have been targeted for one of these Halloween scams or any other fraud please let us know as soon as possible. 

How the scams play out

There are several ways scammers utilize gift cards to con victims out of their money:

• The IRS gift card scam. In this scam, a target receives a threatening message that’s allegedly from the IRS and claiming they are at risk of arrest for tax evasion if they do not pay up immediately. However, they insist that payment can only be made in the form of a gift card. Often, the scammer will ask specifically for an iTunes gift card, because, as you know, the IRS always asks for tax payments in the form of digital music.
• The tech support gift card scam. In this variation, a caller pretends to represent tech support at a recognized company, like Apple or Microsoft. They’ll insist there is something wrong with the victim’s computer and offer to “assist” in fixing the problem. Payment can be made with a gift card, of course. Lucky for you, there is nothing wrong with your computer, but you’ve just been targeted by a scam and are at risk of getting tricked.
• The romance gift card scam. A new dating partner found through a dating website asks for money in the form of a gift card to help them out of a sticky situation. Believe them and you’ll lose both your date and your money.
• The sweepstakes gift card scam. Congratulations — you’ve won a trip to the Cayman Islands! But first, you have to pay the small processing fee via gift card. Follow directions and you’ll never see that vacation or the money you spent on the gift card again.
• The utility gift card scam. You don’t want your gas or electricity cut off, do you? If you don’t pay up with a gift card, the lights might just go out. They won’t, but if you fall for the call, you’ll be out the money you spent on the gift card.
• The balance-check gift card scam. You spot a discounted gift card up for sale online and happily purchase the card. The seller will send you the card, but then ask you to read the numbers over the phone to confirm the balance. If you comply, the seller now has all the information they need to use up all the funds on the gift card. 

How to spot a gift card scam

A little bit of knowledge goes a long way in recognizing gift card scams:

• The IRS will never initiate correspondence by phone call, text message, or email. Instead, they will send a letter to taxpayers through the U.S. postal system.
• No authentic business or government agency will insist on payment by gift card.
• If you don’t recall entering a sweepstakes, chances are you didn’t win it either.
• A caller or message claiming a matter is urgent and demands immediate action is nearly always a scam.

In general, gift cards should be used for purchases or to send as gifts, and not as payments. Also, as with all sensitive information, the numbers on your gift card should never be shared over the phone or online. Finally, it’s best to only purchase gift cards through reputable sellers or those that have excellent customer reviews and/or offer a cash-back guarantee.

If you’ve fallen victim to a gift card scam

If you’ve paid a scammer with a gift card or shared your gift card information after being taken by any of the above ruses or similar schemes, take immediate steps to mitigate the damage.

First, contact the company that issued the card as soon as possible. You can find the customer service number for most companies on the card itself or through a simple Google search. Tell the representative what happened. If you still have them, hold on to the receipt and the actual card for proof should it be required.

Next, if the scammer continues to contact you by phone, text message or email, do not engage further. Block the scammer’s number from your mobile device and mark their emails as spam.

Finally, report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and alert your family and friends about the scam.

Stay safe!