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FRAUD cont’d from

Her advice: “Be educated using the computer and know what to look for as far as scams go,” Connor said. “Realize that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.”

“Be educated

Some scammers use fear to get what they want. Say something pops up on your screen about your device being broken or infected with a virus, and all you have to do is “click here” to fix it. More than likely it’s a scam — someone trying to install spyware or malware (malicious software) on your device that can track your activity, gaining access to sensitive information like bank account numbers and more.

When in doubt: DON’T — don’t follow the directions the alert is giving you, said Neal Shipley, president of the Sauk Computer User Group.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have implemented a “checkmark” system for profiles to let people know that the account has been verified and belongs to who it says it belongs to. The operator of a business profile can send a request to the social media platform to “verify” that the account is from a real source; after checking facts and data, the platform will attach a checkmark — a blue one in the case of Facebook and Twitter — next to the profile name.

If there’s a post from a corporation, without a checkmark next to their name, offering any type of shopping deal or prizes — no matter the size of the prize — it’s likely a scam.

Communication is the best medicine for uncovering scams. If something unusual happens on your screen, get a hold of someone you know who can help you out, someone with more experience with technology, or a professional IT service. If a shopping deal seems like it could save you lots of money, talk to someone you know and ask them whether it’s true.

Asking questions is better than making an impulsive decision to just act on them — the time it takes to verify the legitimacy of something is time well spent, especially considering the trouble scammers can cause. n