324 Area Code Warning
There is no 324 area code in the United States, but many people nationally have reported receiving scam calls that showed up on their caller ID systems as originating from the 324 area code. One Internet source, wikianswers.com, reports the calls appear to be originating from Ghana, West Africa. A Northern Oklahoma businessman said he recently encountered an apparent credit card scam that used the 324 area code. A man who identified himself as Preacher Tim from Idaho tried to get the businessmanto send 600 blankets to an orphaage in Idaho, he said. The scams reportedly take many forms, but a call that appears to originate from a 324 area code should be cause for suspicion, unless a person is expecting a call from Ghana.
Avoiding email scams
The Watchdog Team received a phone call today from a 71-year-old woman who wanted to make sure no one fell for a scam that nearly fooled her.
It was similar to the so-called Nigerian email scam, but it had a few extra steps and more emotional triggers.
The emailer claimed some foreign government had money waiting for her in an overseas account. The government, however, was informed she was dead by a person claiming to be a relative. The emailing “agency” was verifying this was really the case so they could disburse the funds to the appropriate person.
The amount of money was exhorbitant–$30 million. And the emailer made sure to tell her it was in U.S. currency.
She said something funny during the course of our conversation that caused me to chuckle:
Naturally, I couldn’t answer back if I were dead. But they knew that. They just wanted my information and probably, ultimately, some money from me to get the money from them.
Good thing she was savvy enough not to reply.
I’ve posted a lot on the blog about common online fraud schemes, but I also found a great source for email scams that everyone should read up on. Especially, like our citizen watchdog noted, if you are less experienced with email or know someone who needs to coaching on the subject.
Here is an excerpt from onguardonline.gov.
Some email users have lost money to bogus offers that arrived as spam in their in-box. Con artists are very cunning; they know how to make their claims seem legitimate. Some spam messages ask for your business, others invite you to a website with a detailed pitch. Either way, these tips can help you avoid spam scams:
- Protect your personal information. Share credit card or other personal information only when you’re buying from a company you know and trust.
- Know who you’re dealing with. Don’t do business with any company that won’t provide its name, street address, and telephone number.
- Take your time. Resist any urge to “act now” despite the offer and the terms. Once you turn over your money, you may never get it back.
- Read the small print. Get all promises in writing and review them carefully before you make a payment or sign a contract.
- Never pay for a “free” gift. Disregard any offer that asks you to pay for a gift or prize. If it’s free or a gift, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Free means free.
Filter Tips: 10 Scams to Screen from Your Email
- The “Nigerian” Email Scam
- Phishing
- Work-at-Home Scams
- Weight Loss Claims
- Foreign Lotteries
- Cure-All Products
- Check Overpayment Scams
- Pay-in-Advance Credit Offers
- Debt Relief
- Investment Schemes
Stillwater company promises laptop security
Dan Yost insists he could eliminate the worry that comes with news of a stolen laptop containing personal information of about 1 million Oklahoma residents.
Yost, who heads Stillwater-based MyLaptopGPS, said his company could have recovered that sensitive data as soon as it was discovered a state Department of Human Services-owned computer had been stolen.
Had our technology been in place on the stolen DHS laptop, it is quite likely that we would already have the thief in custody and the data recovered–if not simply deleted remotely,” Yost wrote in his blog on the company’s Web site.
Yost said the company can track stolen laptops via the Internet then return important files to their owners.
The company claims a 99.6 percent success rate, but Yost said he has been unable to sell its services to state officials despite repeated attempts.
For more information on the company’s services, click here.
Do you think this is a worthwhile investment? Is such protection something you would consider for your own laptop computer?
