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| Provided to you Exclusively by Robert D. Ashby, CMPS |
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For the Month of May 2006 --- Vol. 1, Issue 6 |
In This Issue...  |
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You'll definitely want to read this issue carefully...as even the savviest and smartest of consumers are getting fooled by this new scam. Protect yourself by understanding what it is, and what to do. Then forward it on to your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors, and protect them too. And have you ever spent minutes, hours, or what seems like days holding on the phone, just waiting to reach a real live human being to simply ask a quick question? Now find out how to get in touch with that human being super fast, and stop wasting your own time. Read on, and learn the insider codes for how to get a real person more quickly than ever. And as always, be sure to call or email if you need any assistance at this time! |
| THEY'RE BAAA-AAACK |
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....and the "phish" smells worse than ever. Internet "phishing" scammers are at it again, and this time more people than ever are getting lured in. The email looks like an official update from the IRS, the sender's email address looks official, the IRS logo is on the email...and the subject line would lure in any hardworking taxpayer with its tasty bait that smells of a tax refund from Uncle Sam. But watch out...even though it looks legitimate; don't let these Internet thieves catch you with their hook. You could soon find yourself tangled up and struggling to rid yourself of a nasty case of identity theft. Here is the scoop: A bogus email shows up in your inbox from tax-refunds@irs.gov and has a subject line that reads "Refund Notice", appearing to be from the IRS. If you click on the email to view the contents, it will state that you are entitled to a tax refund for a specific amount of money, usually $63.80 or $163.80 for some reason. However, to obtain the refund you must complete a tax refund form by clicking on a link contained in the email. Do not click on the link...the IRS does not communicate with taxpayers via email, certainly never asks for personally identifiable or financial information via email, and does not require online forms to be completed to receive a refund. This scam has been working, since everyone "does business" with the IRS, whereas some of the other common phishing scams that copy traditional financial institutions' information (like Bank of America), may not even be a company that is used by the recipient. Also, since the tax system is so confusing, it's easy for someone to believe that there may be some extra refund money laying on the table at the IRS. But if you do click on the link or provide any information, these Internet thieves are hoping they can capture your personal information and use it to run up charges on credit cards, apply for new loans, or even file fraudulent tax returns. If you receive an email of this type, here's what you should do to protect yourself:
Phishing is becoming more and more popular and identity thieves are becoming more sophisticated at using technology to create exact replicas of websites. With identity theft cases on the rise, it is important to use caution when opening emails that are unsolicited or unfamiliar, especially from any type of financial institution, including the good old IRS offering a "refund". It's like the old saying goes...if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. |
| BIG BOY...I SAID BIG BOY! |
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The latest credit card TV commercial says it all...The main character can't get a hold of a live person at his credit card company to answer a simple question on his statement. He tries in frustration, but continues through an almost endless series of prompts and silly questions. He has to shout his password, "big boy", in a crowded subway car because the machine can't hear him. Finally he gets a live person, but loses his reception as the train enters a tunnel. Technology has come a long way and most innovations are great, but sometimes there can be a little too much of a good thing. And, most would agree that without human interaction, this technology can be nothing more than a frustrating, time consuming process. Just think about the last time you phoned an 800 number to check a balance or ask a quick question about a charge. You picked up the phone, dialed the number, and just wanted to connect with a human. But, before you knew it you found yourself tangled in a phone tree with a synthesized voice instructing you to press one for English, two to check a balance, three to obtain last payment date, four to blah, blah, blah, and never received the prompt for a human. So, you pressed any number on the phone pad hoping to connect with a human and just dug yourself a bit deeper in the tree. Well, there is a way to connect with a human. A frustrated group of volunteers, tired of the phone trees, have created a very helpful website. The website contains a database of "800" numbers for companies and helpful tips on how to connect with a human without raising your blood pressure, wasting your time, or getting lost in a phone tree. Simply go to http://www.gethuman.com/ and with just a few clicks of the mouse you can obtain a detailed list of "800" numbers and tips for each company listed on how to "get human" with a customer service representative. Presently the website has a database of about 400 companies (and growing) listed either alphabetically by company name, or you can search by type of business. The business directory has everything from credit card companies to utilities. So let's see how simple it really is. Say you want to phone American Express, just go to the http://www.gethuman.com/ site, lookup American Express, dial the 800 number, and follow the "Get Human" instructions to hit zero repeatedly and viola, it works! Additionally, after using this feature, you can quickly rate each company by clicking on the company name. This will allow "Get Human" to monitor the effectiveness of the express method and rate the overall customer service for other individuals to view. |
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