Fraudulent email alert

[DaveO]

Over the last couple of weeks we have been getting emails with a zip file attachment. The emails have claimed to contain; important bank information from Wells Fargo, an invoice from QuickBooks and today a document containing information on early efling from the IRS. I’m sure this is tied to the release of our email addresses by the IRS when they sold the ptin database. Be careful.

[ChEAr$]

One usually thinks of a zip file as harmless, just containing data files. But no, such a file may, when opened, run an .exe file.

And you know what this might mean.

Not fraudulent, but malware, virus laden.

[ATSMAN]

You need a good anti virus program that will scan all your e-mails, including attachments. I have Norton and that has caught many attachments that were Trojan horses inside zip files.

Also another precaution I take is to open a suspicious e-mail on a old computer that is separate from my main computer. So if that gets infected, I will just wipe the HD and reinstall the OS.

[FEDUKE404]

Why. . .

. . . .would anyone ever open an unsolicited ZIP file ??

Helpful hint: Be careful of who has access (Facebook members, via optional games and applications, can be a real problem!) to your email address book, and always use a secondary/throwaway email address for routine "registrations." Aside from lessening the chances of receiving virus-laden emails, you also will not be inundated by spam emails.

FE

[S T]

I received what I thought were a lot of "weird" emails the last few weeks items like, your loan has been approved, please sign the attached documents, transfer on bank accounts, etc -

DID NOT OPEN ANY and sent immediately to "junk" to delete

Also receiving "weird" phone calls, one of the numbers I could retrieve on the internet and appears to be a "scam"

Thanks "caller ID"

Somehow "they" are out there and somehow "they" have "our" contact numbers - I am not listed on the phones for sure and pay for that thru TWC

Most all of my phones now go to VM before I answer as it is just a PITA to deal with.

Sandy

[FEDUKE404]

Dealing with calls

I received what I thought were a lot of "weird" emails the last few weeks items like, your loan has been approved, please sign the attached documents, transfer on bank accounts, etc -

DID NOT OPEN ANY and sent immediately to "junk" to delete

Also receiving "weird" phone calls, one of the numbers I could retrieve on the internet and appears to be a "scam"

Thanks "caller ID"

Somehow "they" are out there and somehow "they" have "our" contact numbers - I am not listed on the phones for sure and pay for that thru TWC

Most all of my phones now go to VM before I answer as it is just a PITA to deal with.

Sandy

I have also been receiving more than normal (for a non-election year) unsolicited calls, to include both landline and cellphone. Some have the caller number "restricted" and others that DO show a number refer (after a Google search of the number) to telemarketing firms, often in Florida. It's quite obvious the Do Not Call List is a complete farce.

Helpful hint: Consider the Six-ring Rule. Most automated calls will go away with no answer before ring #6 or #7 and, I guess, move on to someone else. . .

FE

[ATSMAN]

If your business phone # or e-mail has been in circulation for a while, scammers have them. I get a lot of e-mails from my clients who will use attachments to send me documents. That is why I have them scanned first before I open. My junk filter does a decent job weeding out "real junk" but now and then "good stuff" gets snared too.

I also have securefile pro but for some strange reason, my clients will e-mail me directly.

[S T]

. . . .would anyone ever open an unsolicited ZIP file ??

Helpful hint: Be careful of who has access (Facebook members, via optional games and applications, can be a real problem!) to your email address book, and always use a secondary/throwaway email address for routine "registrations." Aside from lessening the chances of receiving virus-laden emails, you also will not be inundated by spam emails.

FE

Yep - got the 6 ring rule in effect - besides sometimes it takes me that long to answer,
a lot of 800 and 866 #'s from Florida - most are political or the surge the last 3 months on Mcare, and Insurance - New one this last two weeks is a 385 # - looked it up on the internet - and it is a scam of some sort - this one is calling everyday somestimes twice - hoping it will go away

Finally got my husband --so he doesn't feel the urge to answer the phone when it rings without looking at the "Caller ID" 800-866#'s don't answer, if not recognized or a name - don't answer - If important, the caller will leave a VM.

Thank goodness for Caller ID and VM - now onto the Email issues----

Sandy

[ATSMAN]

I get calls from spoofed Caller ID all the time. ID says a local #, yet they are calling from a foreign country??

Now I have developed a fast finger to press the End button before they can say the next sentence.

How can they get away with that?