Month: August 2024

How to Protect Yourself from Google Voice Verification Scams

The Google Voice verification scam can result in a lot of inconvenience and possible identity theft. Here’s all you need to know about Google Voice verification scams and how to stay safe. 

How does the scam play out?

It all starts with a scammer contacting a target under the impression of responding to an online ad or inquiry the target has posted. The scammer expresses interest in buying an item the target is selling. To verify the victim’s legitimacy, they’ll claim they need to send a Google Voice verification code. They’ll ask the victim to share this code with them. What they are really doing is using the victim’s code to set up a Google Voice account in the victim’s name. Once they have this account, they’ll use it to carry out additional scams, masking their identity behind this phone number. 

Protect yourself

Follow these tips to protect yourself from falling victim to this scam:

  1. Understand how the scam works

Be aware that no legitimate transaction or interaction requires you to share a verification code sent to your phone by Google. If someone asks for this code, it’s a huge red flag!

  1. Do not share verification codes

Giving verification codes to someone else can grant them access to your personal accounts or allow them to set up new accounts in your name.

  1. Enable two-factor authentication

When possible, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your Google account and other sensitive online accounts. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification in addition to your password.

  1. Verify identities carefully

When dealing with online transactions or interactions, verify the identity of the person you are dealing with. Use trusted platforms and be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.

  1. Monitor your accounts

Check for unauthorized logins or any other unusual behavior. If you notice anything suspicious, change your passwords and contact the platform’s support team.

If you’ve been scammed

If you suspect you’ve fallen victim to a Google Voice verification scam, here’s how to mitigate the damage:

  • Reclaim your Google Voice number by following Google’s support instructions. 
  • Report the scam to Google and the platform where the scam originated.
  • Change your Google account password and any other passwords that may have been compromised. 
  • Enable additional security measures, such as security questions or biometric verification, to your Google Voice number account. 

Stay safe!

Political Fundraising Scams

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning of an uptick in political fundraising scams seeking to collect donations allegedly going toward a candidate’s campaign or specific cause.

Here’s all you need to know about political fundraising scams:

How the scams play out

In a political fundraising scam, the victim receives a call from someone claiming to be collecting money for a political candidate or cause. The caller is aggressive and demanding until the victim agrees to make a donation. They will also insist on immediate payment. The victim, not recognizing the scam, willingly donates money — which goes directly into the scammer’s pockets.

In another variation of this scam, the victim is targeted by a bogus online ad or email. After clicking on the ad or embedded link in the email, the victim is directed to donate funds. Here, too, the money goes directly to the scammer.

Red flags

To spot a political fundraising scam, be on the lookout for these red flags:

  • Fundraising email has grammatical errors and spelling mistakes
  • Caller urges voter to make an immediate donation
  • Caller or email insists on payment by specific means, such as wire transfer or prepaid debit card
  • Email is sent from an insecure domain
  • Email is sent from a domain that does not have a legitimate online presence

If you’d like to donate

If you’d like to make a donation to your favored campaign or cause, follow these tips:

  • Donate directly on the candidate or cause’s official website.
  • Never make a donation on a website that has an insecure address.
  • Be cautious of phone solicitations for donations.
  • Research any cause you’d like to donate to by researching FEC.gov or the Center for Responsive Politics.
  • Don’t donate to a cause that does not ask for your citizenship status.
  • When donating funds, it’s best to use a credit card.

If you spot a scam

The FBI urges all citizens to report any election scams to a local FBI field office as soon as possible.

This election season, vote no for scams!

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