PERSONAL SAFETY
Beware the Smishers! Well, as if we a reward—but the didn’t have enough fine print states the buzz words to person is required to contend with, you pay a small shipping can add “smishing” to cost. That’s not the collection. the payday for the As most of us scammers. evolve as humans, When the person so evolves the agrees to pay the technology that both shipping cost, they helps make our lives unknowingly agree STAY SAFE more convenient, to a 14-day trial Steve Rose is a retired Sandy Springs Police and, it seems, then period with the Captain, veteran Fulton seeks to destroy all company selling the County police officer and human existence. freelance writer. He is the scam’s product. After OK, that’s a stretch… the 14-day trial, the author the book “Why but just when we got Do My Mystic Journeys victim’s credit card Always Lead to the Waffle is billed $98 monthly our heads around House?” and the column phishing, skimmers and they continue “View from a Cop.” and a host of other to receive the cheap scams, a new one reward chosen in the pops up—smishing, or SMS survey. phishing—disguised as a FedEx “Fine print” information is package-delivery text. usually information required I’m one who loves the by legal standards. The seller convenience of ordering is saying “I have to tell you a product on Amazon and this, but I don’t want you to receiving it 10 minutes later. particularly dwell of this part What could be better? of it.” For instance, “Zero down, Well, after you look at your zero percent for 12 months!” credit card statement, you But in the fine print, “After 12 might not be so giddy about months, put your seatbelt on!” it, but convenience includes The television version of fine knowing when that package print is when the announcer will arrive and where it is dives into a ten-second right now. It’s like a relative rant of legal information sending postcards from Mount that absolutely no one can Rushmore. “Here I am; be home comprehend since it’s delivered soon.” at light speed. They’re required Let’s say you’re at home to deliver that information, but watching the NFL Pro-Bowl no one said they had to do it at Touch Football game and saying normal speed. If they did, the to yourself, “Why worry?” commercial would last another According to an article on 30 seconds and, after all, time is the website How-to Geek, the money…money that’s ultimately intended victim receives a text passed on to the buyer’s cost. from FedEx asking them to set Loopholes. up their delivery preferences, If you do receive a text from along with a tracking code. In FedEx, stop and put some reality, the code takes them to a thought-time into what you phony Amazon listing. have out there that’s supposed The listing requests the to be delivered. Ask everyone intended victim to complete a else in your family if they’re customer satisfaction survey. expecting a delivery. If no one Those doing so will receive is expecting a package, either
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ignore the text or contact FedEx to confirm the information. The FedEx website says the following: “FedEx does not request, via unsolicited mail, e-mail or SMS messages, payment or personal information in return for goods in transit or in FedEx custody. If you have received a fraudulent email or SMS message that claims to be from FedEx, you can report it by forwarding it to abuse@fedex.com. The best form of prevention for this, as well as all attempts to fraudulently obtain money from you, is to be skeptical until it’s proven true. Put the brakes on and examine it for flaws. For instance, is the web address slightly different? As an example, Fed.Ex.com is not FedEx’s URL. Also look for grammatical errors in the pitch. Be skeptical of any unsolicited texts or emails that require you to provide credit or debit card information, personal
information or any form of money. Big companies just don’t do that. So what do you do if you read this and realize you’ve fallen into this scam? If you used a credit card, do a charge back on the payment and then remove the card from that particular account. If a debit card was used, contact your bank and have that card number discontinued and a new card account number issued. Let the bank know what has happened so they’ll be aware and monitor your account to ensure no other transactions targeted it. Remember, don’t click on links within unsolicited emails and don’t provide personal or financial information without investigating—with a skeptical attitude. And don’t assume. Verify any request for money or information. Just be diligent and you’ll be fine.
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