Cyber Security Column Week of July 3

USPS trick: A Big Horn citizen reported receiving a text that the United States Postal Service couldn’t deliver a package because the address was invalid. The citizen was instructed to click a link to update the address. Typically these USPS impersonation scams ask the victim to pay a $3 fee to update records, using a credit card. CyberWyoming note: the USPS doesn't operate this way, and the crooks not only get your $3 but also your card number.

Open Benefits Enrollment scam: CyberWyoming received an email that our Open Benefits Enrollment plan period is ending. It was news to us since our nonprofit organization is too small to offer benefits! The email’s attached document contains a virus according to our virus scanner. CyberWyoming note: The scams targeting businesses and employees are increasing exponentially. Keep a sharp eye out for scams in your business emails just like you do for your personal emails.

How to keep someone from buying a truck with your stolen identity: Freezing your credit is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself as it makes it hard for a criminal to steal your identity. For example, a criminal can walk into a car dealership, present a fraudulent driver’s license and your social security number, and drive away with a car – leaving you financially responsible. However, if you’ve frozen your credit, the car dealer can’t pull a credit report and thus won’t sell the car. Credit freezes are FREE. When you need a legitimate company to be able to access your credit, you simply contact the credit bureaus and either unfreeze for a certain amount of time or you can provide the name of the company that needs access to your credit report. Remember, all this is FREE – do not fall for companies who charge you to do this. – Brought to you by Secure The Village

Winning the lottery resulted in an elderly man becoming homeless: A man in Minnesota was told he won the lottery, but he had to send a deposit to secure the funds. And then there were more calls, more checks, until he had sent the scammers $800,000. He sold his house to pay the scammers, gave them all his savings, and ended up living in a Motel 6. Once his daughter found out, she contacted the FBI who is investigating, but most of the money has been transferred overseas and thus unrecoverable. Tips from the FBI: “Prevention and public awareness are key. Once money has been transferred, especially overseas, it can be difficult to get back. However, the FBI and our law enforcement partners do our best to disrupt the criminal activity, but quick reporting to law enforcement is essential. Victims may be embarrassed to report to law enforcement, but fraud reported weeks or months later may be impossible to stop. We encourage people to resist the urgency the scammer attempts to create, possibly over the phone, and do their research separately. Individuals can also talk to their family, friends, and financial institution before sending any money to avoid becoming a scam victim.” CyberWyoming note: It may be a painful conversation but ask your parents or other loved ones that might be at risk if you can be added to their checking accounts so you can monitor for suspicious behavior. They may also be willing to tell you in advance of any large checks they are writing. – Brought to you by Fox9 News

MS-ISAC and CISA Patch Now Alert: The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) or the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published a patch now (update your software) alert for Google Chrome, VMware products, Fortinet FortiNAC, MOVEit Transfer. If you use these products, make sure the software (or firmware) is updated.

Data Breaches in the News: US Patent and Trademark Office (addresses leaked from 2020 to 2023), LetMeSpy, Activision Blizzard games, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, U.S. Auto Insurance, Dole, Capital One, UPS, ChatGPT.

New MOVEit Victims:

• Schneider Electric

• Siemans Energy

• UCLA (University of California Los Angeles)

• Abbie (abbvie.com)

• Werum.com

• Sony

• British Airways

• Boots

• BBC

• Gen Digital

• Aer Lingus

• Genworth

• CalPERS (California employees’ pension fund)

• CalSTRS (the New York Public Schools pension fund)

Note: If you have an account with one of these companies, be sure to change your password and consider placing a credit freeze on your accounts through the three credit reporting agencies: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax.

Please report scams you may experience to [email protected] to alert your friends and neighbors.

Other ways to report a scam:

• Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker: http://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us/reportscam

• Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection 307-777-6397, 800-438-5799 or [email protected]

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/

• Report your scam to the FBI at https://www.ic3.gov/Home/FileComplaint

• Reported unwanted calls to the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call Registration. Online at https://www.donotcall.gov/report.html or call 1-888-382-1222, option 3

• Office of the Inspector General: https://oig.ssa.gov/

• AARP Fraud Watch Network (any age welcome) Helpline 877-908-3360

• IRS: report email scams impersonating the IRS to [email protected]

• Call the Wyoming Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) for assistance with potential Medicare fraud, abuse, or errors at 1 800 856-4398

Victim Support: The AARP Fraud Watch Network and Volunteers of America (VOA) created a new, free program to provide emotional support for people impacted by a scam or fraud, called ReST. Visit http://www.aarp.org/fraudsupport to learn more about the free program and register.