“Free Stuff” Email Scams

It’s said that here’s no such thing as a free lunch. So, of course, the same logic applies to all those spammy emails you get. The ones claiming you won a lottery. Earned a free gift card. Awarded an iPhone. None of these offers is legitimate, even though their logos and senders look real. But … Read more

The Gun Purchase Scam

No, you didn’t buy a gun. A firearm is not being shipped to you. If you received the email below, please take a moment to realize that it is just The Gun Purchase Scam. As scams go, this is another variant of the Thank You for Your Purchase Scam. That means that there is no … Read more

Software Shilling

It is very common in the tech world, for one company to promote another, in order to boost business and earn commissions. I don’t go around looking for kickbacks, but I see and understand why companies seek referral bonuses and such. I am dismayed to report, though, that HP is now promoting a software that … Read more

The Unpaid Traffic Ticket Scam

The latest smish to arrive in people’s texts is the Unpaid Traffic Ticket scam. It may look familiar to you, because it’s brought to you by the same criminals who are behind those ubiquitous unpaid-toll and unpaid-parking schemes. If you get a text message like what’s pictured here, don’t believe it. Don’t answer it, don’t … Read more

Victoria’s Secret Security Incident

Don’t get your knickers in a twist, or from the Victoria’s Secret website. It’s down, and has been since the weekend. So is their mobile app. Before the Memorial Day holiday, Victoria’s Secret suffered some kind of security incident, and they had to deactivate their site, apps and all customer-facing transactions. We don’t know more … Read more

Sketchy Sales on Facebook

Have you noticed that there are some really sketchy sales companies on Facebook? No? Follow me down a rabbit hole, because I have something for you to watch out for: Just Another Shirt Seller? Facebook ads & sponsored posts promote a lot of small companies as they try to sell their wares, and one popped … Read more

Cloud Storage Alert Scam

This type of scammy email can catch a lot of people off-guard. I want you to be familiar with the Cloud Storage Alert scam that’s gonig around: These emails may be vague, like the one pictured above, or they might mention Apple, Google or other big tech companies. But usually, there’s something off about them. … Read more

The Unpaid Parking Ticket Scam

Have you received a text message about a parking fine? It’s almost certainly a scam. The same jokers who perpetrated the Unpaid Toll Smishing operation are now rolling out a similar scheme. The Unpaid Parking Ticket Scam is probably coming to your text messages, soon! And what’s worse is that the smishers are getting better … Read more