Financial Exploitation Newsletter – October 2021

CREDIT/SOURCE: Judy Christman Yates, DPA, Criminologist

This complimentary newsletter is an educational resource with “links” on financial exploitation and behavior that may contribute to privacy concerns/financial exploitation. DISCLAIMER: Information and links are based on sites that appear to me as legitimate, but even I can be duped. If you find a problem, please let me know immediately, so that I can get the word out.

1. “Is it safer to do banking on my computer or on my phone?”  Norton QA, 8/2021, https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-crm-onlineprivacy-is-it-safer-to-bank-on-computer-or-phone.html?

 

• Using your COMPUTER: 
  • Connect with secure private network (VPN)  and use updated security software. 
  • If you’re using public Wi-Fi, a VPN (virtual private network) is essential.
  • Turn on multi-factor authentication to keep your account extra secure.
• Using your PHONE for secure mobile banking:
• Get the mobile banking app. Don’t log into the bank’s website from your phone’s internet browser. You could accidentally end up on a fake banking site created by a cybercriminal.
• Use a link from the bank to get the app. Download the app through a link provided by your bank. This will help you avoid accidentally getting a phony app created by a scammer to trick bank customers.
• Lock down your phone. Set a strong passcode to keep others out of your banking app. Remember to log out of the app when you’re done banking, and don’t store your app password on your phone.

2. “Why you need a secret phone number (and how to get one), Compartmentalization can be a good thing.” 6/17/21 https://mashable.com/article/how-to-get-a-secret-second-phone-number

 

3. “Syncing Your Phone To Your Car Can Put You At Risk,” 7/7/19, https://www.usccu.org/news/syncing-your-phone-to-your-car-can-put-you-at-risk “A hacker can easily scrape data from your car, even if your phone is nowhere in sight. All they need to do is connect their own phone to your car’s Bluetooth system and they’re in!  Here is some of the information a hacker can access via a synced car: Recent call log, Recent text messages, Garage door opener code, Personal calendar, List of contacts, Recent emails, & GPS data that includes your home address.”

 

4. “Your car knows too much. That could be a privacy nightmare,”9/18/21, https://mashable.com/article/privacy-please-what-data-do-modern-cars-collect  “According to OnStar’s privacy policy, the company “may” collect reams of vehicle data, including, but certainly not limited to:  GPS location, speed, air bag deployments, crash avoidance alerts, impact data, safety system status, braking and swerving/cornering events, event data recorder (EDR) data, seat belt settings, vehicle direction (heading), audio or video information such as information collected from camera images and sensor data, voice command information, stability control or anti-lock events, security/theft alerts, and infotainment (including radio and rear-seat infotainment) system and WiFi data usage.”

 

5. “Cyber–Physical Security of Powertrain Systems in Modern Electric Vehicles: Vulnerabilities, Challenges, and Future Visions,” 8/4/2021 Scholarly [technical] research,  https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9296745 ( IEEE Volume: 9 , Issue: 4, Aug. 2021) Scholarly publication, “With the growing penetration in the Internet-of-Things (IoT)-enabled applications, e.g., electric vehicles (EV), power electronics systems are becoming more vulnerable to cyber–physical threats ranging from cyberattacks to physical faults. Meanwhile, due to the lack of cyber awareness in the power electronics community, it becomes more urgent to develop monitoring and diagnosis strategies for networked power electronics systems.”

6. “Building a digital defense against crypto romance scams,” 9/28/21, https://ktvz.com/news/crime-courts/2021/09/28/oregon-fbis-tech-tuesday-building-a-digital-defense-against-crypto-romance-scams/  “The new twist [on Romance Scams] comes when the bad actor {scammer] claims to be an expert cryptocurrency investor. He offers to help the victim make big money, too. Once the victim invests, the scammer allows the victim to withdraw a small amount of profit from the alleged account.  After the successful withdrawal, the scammer instructs the victim to invest larger amounts of money, and he often pushes the victim to “act fast.” When the victim is ready to withdraw funds again, the scammer creates reasons why this can’t happen. He tells the victim that there are additional taxes or fees that need to be paid, or the minimum account balance has not been met. This entices the victim to provide additional funds. Sometimes, a “customer service group” gets involved, which is also part of the scam.” “The harassment – and the “relationship” – usually end once the victim stops sending funds.”“Here’s how to protect yourself:

 

• Never send money, trade, or invest based on the advice of someone you have only met online.
• Don’t talk about your current financial status to unknown and untrusted people.
• Don’t provide your banking information, Social Security Number, copies of your identification or passport, or any other sensitive information to anyone online or to a site you do not know is legitimate.
• If an online investment or trading site is promoting unbelievable profits, it is most likely that—unbelievable.
• Be cautious of individuals who claim to have exclusive investment opportunities and urge you to act fast.

If you are the victim of any online fraud, you should report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your FBI local office.”
ReportFraud.ftc.gov & IC3.gov