On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave me… We all appreciate the seasonal song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” with pictures of a partridge in a pear tree, five gold rings, etc. . This song is fun, but cybercrime expert Michael Moore of M3 Networks reminds us to be vigilant and vigilant during the Christmas season to protect our data, contacts, and money from cyberthieves who will steal literally anything. Days of Scamming” was created. from you. This is the first installment of “12 Days of Scam”.
On the first day of the scam, the hacker sends you…not a partridge in a pear tree, but a fake phone call from your son.
In the call generated by artificial intelligence (AI), your “son” seems very upset and says that he was in a car accident and was hit by a pregnant woman’s car. He is crying and asking you for help. He hands the phone over to someone who appears to be a legitimate lawyer.
Looking online shows that there is indeed an attorney by that name in the city he claims to be calling from, and that he is indeed affiliated with a real firm.
The “lawyer” (I’m using his name, but he’s not that person) tells you that your son’s cell phone was damaged in an accident and that you can’t contact him except through the “lawyer.” I did. The lawyer emphasizes that your son has been arrested and you need to post bail as soon as possible, and says that the “lawyer” can arrange bail. He gives you his cell phone number and tells you to call this number instead of his office. He will ask you to wire money.
If you think this scenario is unlikely, here’s what your Philadelphia lawyer should know. lawyer – told parliament in tv testimonymoney He was fooled by this ruse.
Using artificial intelligence, anyone can instantly collect information about individuals like my son, including where he works, attends school, interests, hobbies, and friends. And the AI can imitate my son’s voice very accurately.
If you are faced with the situation described here, here’s what to do:
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- Please call my son’s cell phone. If you can’t reach him, call the person closest to him (his girlfriend, wife, roommate) to find out if this actually happened.
- Go on the Internet, find the phone number for the police or sheriff’s office where the “lawyer” says your son is in custody, and call that number. Never call the phone number given to you by your “lawyer.” You may end up contacting an impersonator.
Of course, if your son happened to be sitting across from you at the dinner table, you could ask him if he was in an accident or if he was arrested.
The lesson here is that scammers will exploit your feelings of desperation to convince you to send money faster than you can gather your thoughts.
This holiday season, from December 21st to New Year’s Day, is a dangerous time, as most companies give their employees, especially IT professionals, time off. This puts them and you at risk when cybercriminals are working overtime.
AI has enabled cybercriminals to automate their heinous acts, allowing them to perform tasks in minutes that previously took an entire day.
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While you are shopping or enjoying time with your family, these criminals attack you like never before. The Christmas holiday season is the Super Bowl for scammers, so be more careful than ever.
important! Work with your in-house or third-party IT specialist to create a plan today. Don’t let this most joyful time of the year become your worst nightmare.
Michael D. Moore is the founder and CEO of M3 Networks, a national IT support and cybersecurity company based in Southlake. He has his 29 years of experience in his IT field and has frequently spoken to organizations about cybersecurity. His speaking partners are often FBI or Secret Service agents. For answers to your questions about protecting your data, money, and financial future from cyber threats, call Michael at 817-532-0127.