'Tis the season to try to scam people out of their hard-earned dollars. And criminals are trying.
A few weeks ago I received an email from an anonymous source. The sender of the email claimed to have hacked into my computer and turned on my video camera and was now in possession of a compromising video of me. And the blackmailer wanted money or else they would distribute the video to everyone on my email list—thus, in their own dirty mind, embarrassing me. Funnily enough, my email client (Thunderbird) automatically sent that email to my Junk folder instead of my Inbox.
This week, I received an email purporting to be from the IRS. Instead of wanting money, they wanted to give me a refund for overpaying my federal tax. All I had to do to receive the refund was to click on a button on the page.
Right. And where is the button going to take me? What malware will it activate?
The email was signed "IRS". Not "Internal Revenue Service". Just "IRS". When did the IRS start using just their initials to sign their official correspondence?
I know that my email address has been posted on the "dark web". The dark web is a part of the Internet that is private, anonymous, and is used for legal and illegal activity. So it doesn't surprise me to receive scam emails.
I also recently received a phone call from a man who spoke with a strong Indian (the country) accent. He said he was with a U.S. government agency. That's when I ended the call.
If you're suspicious of an email, it's best not to open it. But even if you do open it, it is unlikely that your computer will get a virus or malware just by opening an email. Almost all viruses are activated when you download an attachment or click a link in an email. In addition to emails, we must be vigilant about phone calls, instant messages, and text messages.
Happy Holidays, and be safe.
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