PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SCAMMERS

In my previous post, I wrote how my foolish notion of getting rich the easy way led me into many sorrows. The same applied for material blessing fads preached even today. Virgin Mobile recently sent me an e-mail outlining ways to protect ourselves from scammers. Here are these tips, paraphrased so I won't be sued.

Watch out for aggressive and pushy marketers, whether on the phone or by e-mail. They want to make you feel intimidated or guilty so you'll give them whatever information they ask for. I got conned into installing an expensive alarm system by a salesman who grew angry at my hesitation. I didn't want to seem churlish so I signed up. What a mistake that was, both in money and in lousy customer service.

Beware of chances to win prizes, especially if the caller or e-mailer doesn't give a recognizable company name. The same applies to claims that you've won something. I got burned by the "free alarm system" bait and switch by that alarm company I just mentioned.

Never give out any personal information over the phone or e-mail to anybody claiming to be your bank, phone provider, or any other business. When in doubt, call the number of that business from the phone book and ask if they called about needing updated account information. People have fallen for this trick and paid dearly for it.

Additionally, I've received calls claiming my computer was sending out malware. The individual claimed to be from Microsoft or a company affiliated with them. By installing a program on my computer, he claimed that it would stop sending out viruses. This is a ruse to gain access to your PC. The malware that this supposed computer company would install on your hard drive would take all your personal information and send out malicious code. Well-established companies such as AVG have better anti virus programs and they don't contain spyware. Freeware programs often conceal this elicit code as toolbars which install even if you click "No."

Many countries now have agencies which track down scammers. If you feel that some person or agency is impersonating the police or trying to trick you, call these agencies or the authorities. Only by being wise about personal data and not falling for too-good-to-be-true offers will keep you safe. Reporting scams can help your police forces track down these miscreants, thus saving others from falling into these traps.

I also mentioned in my previous post about How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity. It shows how I fell for many incredible lies. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Virtual Bookworm Publishers distribute this inspiring testimony of God's providential rescue of my soul.

BEWARE OF FAKE PAYPAL SITES

Periodically, unethical people send out e-mail messages to us in an attempt to gather our information and to misuse it. This is called phishing. Most companies ignore this misconduct but one has taken the pro-active step of tracking down these miscreants.

If you receive a message from somebody claiming to be PayPal, be very careful. Here is part of a PayPal team response to a spoof e-mail which I forwarded to them:

     Paypal Will Never:

     • Send an email to: “Undisclosed Recipients”  or more than one email
        address
     • Ask you to download a form or file to resolve an issue
     • Ask in an email to verify an account using Personal Information such
        as Name, Date of Birth, Driver's License, or Address
     • Ask in an email to verify an account using Bank Account Information
        such as Bank Name, Routing Number, or Bank Account PIN Number
     • Ask in an email to verify an account using Credit Card Information
        such as Credit Card Number or Type, Expiration Date, ATM PIN Number, or
        CVV2 Security Code
     • Ask for your full credit card number without displaying the type of
        card and the last two digits
     • Ask you for your full bank account number without displaying your bank
        name, type of account (Checking/Savings) and the last two digits
     • Ask you for your security question answers without displaying each
        security question you created
     • Ask you to ship an item, pay a shipping fee, send a Western Union
        Money Transfer, or provide a tracking number before the payment received
        is available in your transaction history

Whenever you receive a message claiming that there's some sort of problem with your account, always visit PayPal's site and type in your details there. Otherwise you could have your credit card maxed out and your bank account drained.

If you've already fallen for one of these scammers and their bogus e-mail warnings or you feel somebody has hacked into your account, log into PayPal's site in a new browser window  and click on the "Security and Protection" link. Then click "Identify a Problem" link. Then click on "I think someone may be using my account without permission." Next, click "Unauthorized Account Activity."

Additionally, you can help PayPal track down these cyber thieves by forwarding suspicious e-mails to spoof@paypal.com. Don't delete any attached files since those help the PayPal team to track down the originator of the phishing attempt. By doing this, you reduce the number of phoney e-mails going out and save naive computer users the heartbreak of being ripped off.

I wrote about scams which i fell for in How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity.  Read more about God's providential guidance in my life at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Virtual Bookworm Publishers. My previous paperbacks are on the Bruce Atchison's books link.

TAKING THE MAGIC OUT OF MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING.

What was your first exposure to multi-level marketing? Mine happened when Wayne, a blind friend from Jericho Hill School for the Deaf and Blind phoned me one afternoon in July of 1975.

After catching up on our post-Jericho experiences, Wayne piqued my interest with a question. "Would you like to make extra money?" When I said yes, he explained, "I represent a cosmetic company called Holiday Magic. We help people start their own businesses with products that customers need all the time."

After Wayne described how I could earn money from home and make as much as I wanted, he invited me to the Edmonton office of Holiday Magic where trained professionals would demonstrate their merchandise for free. Since Wayne was a friend and he assured me that the company sold products for men as well as women, I decided to accept his offer.

Outside the store front office, the Holiday Magic staff set up a few lawn chairs and outdoor tables. "Is Wayne here?" I addressed the woman who was applying a creamy lotion to another person's face.

"No, but you're welcome to sit down and try a free facial," she invited. Since I came all that way, taking two city busses and an hour of my time, I figured I had nothing to lose.

When my turn came, the sales representative tilted my head back and applied a cool refreshing cream on my face. "That smells like cucumbers," I remarked.

"It does have cucumbers in it since it's all organic. It's designed to open your pores and clean out dirt. That should help clear up this acne you have."

After the woman wiped my face with a damp cloth, she gave me a brochure. I started reading it at home but it failed to interest me.

While I listened to the news one day, a reporter exposed Holiday Magic as a pyramid scheme. I threw out the pamphlet, not wanting to have any connection with shady business deals.

I wrote about Wayne and other students in my Deliverance from Jericho: Six Years in a Blind School memoir. Though the institution we were kept in wasn't very kind to us, we did entertain ourselves and get into mischief like sighted children. Please visit the link on the left hand side of this page for details about this paperback.