What you need to know about popular scams and how to avoid being duped

Global News Montreal July 4 2013

Terry Cutler talks about scams on Global Montreal NewsTERRY CUTLER, DIGITAL LOCKSMITHS
Terry is collaborating with the RCMP Anti Fraud group to help beat the scammers.
He takes their calls, allows them into his bait system, and tracks them down using his own software.

WE WILL GO OVER THREE POPULAR SCAMS:

1. RansomWare — Someone claiming to be from Microsoft will call you up saying your computer is causing errors and that they would like to fix it for you remotely. Once they get in and install the fake anti virus software, your computer will become locked and held for a $100-$300 ransom. (Ransomware is a type of virus that prevents you from using your computer or accessing your data until you pay a certain amount (the “ransom”) to a remote entity.) feel free to listen to my interview on this topichttp://www.terrycutler.com/wordpress/…

2. One direction scam on kijiji. People buying tickets on Kijiji for $600+ dollars were scammed. Buyers should always get their tickets with evenko.ca or the artist’s website.

3. Luxury vehicle scam, where people are asked to wire money for cars to offshore accounts. Full details herehttp://www.omvic.on.ca/news/releases/…

***WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS?

1. Usually the warning signs are “if it’s too good to be true, it probably ain’t”, but the problem with the latest scams is that there’s been so much effort into making it appear legit, that most people wouldn’t know until it was too late.
2. Photographs that the scammer sends show a very attractive person. The photo appears to have been taken at a professional modeling agency or photographic studio. All photos are fake.
3. The scammer claims to be a native-born North American citizen, but uses poor grammar indicative of a non-native English speaker. The scammer raises the hopes of the victim by various false claims of romance, products, or services. The false claims may be supported by bogus testimonials/documents.
4. asks you to pay through non-traceable avenues, such as Western Union or MoneyGram, or a third party, or via an overseas address
5. sells a typically expensive item at cut-rate prices, which is a good indicator that it could be counterfeit.
6. refuses to provide tracking numbers when you purchase an item. Tracking numbers are another way to trace a valid transaction.
7. offers only excuses, instead of help, when your purchased item doesn’t arrive at your doorstep.

Terry Cutler

Terry Cutler

Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Digital Locksmiths, Inc.
Terry Cutler is the founder of Digital Locksmiths, Inc. - an IT security and data defense firm based in Montreal - and serves as the company's Chief Technology Officer. Terry is a Certified Ethical Hacker who has learned the mindset of hackers and trained in the techniques of "the bad guys" who seek to do harm to corporations and individuals alike.He is responsible for staying on top of the latest trends in cybersecurity and being an advocate for best practices in the identification and eradication of vulnerabilities that leave the customers of Digital Locksmiths susceptible to the most dangerous threats.Another one of Terry's roles is to be a thought leader for Digital Locksmiths by sharing his expert insights about effective digital security strategies and countermeasures through his writings, speaking engagements, and media interviews.

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Terry Cutler

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