⚠️ I’ve warned you about this so many times: When you sign up for Venmo, your payment details and friends list are automatically set to public. Even Tucker Carlson, John Hamm, President Biden and Travis Kelce have had their account info exposed. This gives fraudsters the perfect setup for spear phishing attacks. I have the steps for how to protect your Venmo and make your profile private right here.
Scam warning: Think twice before you click that Google Docs notification
Cybercriminals are getting better every day at finding new ways to rip people off. If it’s not taking advantage of thousands of flight cancellations, they aim at those working remotely from home.
A popular tool for remote workers is Google Docs. The online word processor and editor allow for creating and collaborating on documents. It is used by tons of companies and individuals.
But just because Google develops the tool doesn’t mean it can’t spread malicious content. Read on to see how Google Docs is being used to spread malware.
Here’s the backstory
The word processing platform is incredibly robust, allowing for powerful functions and editing on par with Microsoft’s Word. And since Google Docs is based online, users can share and edit a document if changes need to be made.
There is a comments function where users can tag others to get their attention on a change. Like how social media works, a user will insert a ‘@’ and then click on the intended recipient. The other person will receive an email to alert them to the comment.
Usually, this process is relatively benign. But hackers have found a way to abuse the system. The problem comes from the fact that external links are allowed in comments. Google doesn’t check these links, allowing for malicious content to be distributed.
Now, scammers are sending links that lead to malicious websites that attempt to install malware on your device. One reason this spear-phishing scam is so effective is recipients don’t see the sender’s email address, as only a name is displayed. This makes impersonating contacts easier and makes the message seem authentic.
In a report from Avanan, tricking Google Docs users into clicking on malicious links has been used since October of 2021. While Google might be aware of the flaw in Docs, the company is yet to do something about it proactively.
What you can do about it
Criminals rely on you to simply glance over a sender’s name without inspecting the email address. If you’re ever tagged in a Google Docs comment, verifying the sender actually sent it is critical. Reach out to the sender before clicking links in the message to ensure it’s authentic.
No, that's not an angry email from your boss - Don't fall for this new scam
Americans are hard-working, and most of us take pride in what we do. So, it can be jarring when a customer or a colleague complains about your work ethic. The dreaded “I want to speak to the manager” or “Corporate will hear about this” is enough to ruin a perfect day. Tap or click here to save time in your workday with this new Slack trick.
Cybercriminals are going after the US power grid
Hackers are more than capable of destroying your life with nothing more than a computer in hand. Thanks to the rise of cyberattacks and malware, it’s easy for them to break into networks, steal data and sell it to the highest bidder.
Beware of this convincing banking scam coming after your password
There’s no doubt in anybody’s mind that phishing scams are on the rise. But as more people become aware of the tactics these scammers are using, the scams themselves become more complicated and harder to detect.
For a perfect example, look no further than the sheer volume of COVID-19 and stimulus scams circulating the web right now. These topical subjects make great bait for victims, and unless you’re paying close attention, it’s easy to get tricked into signing away your personal data. Tap or click here to see how to avoid COVID-19 phishing scams.
5 frightening phishing scams to watch out for
Phishing scams have been running rampant in recent weeks, all too often taking hundreds of thousands of innocent victims to the cleaners and leaving them red-faced and with little to no money left in the bank. In order to stay protected from these seriously scary scams, you need to know what to look for.