[email protected]
www.wyocan.org
www.cyberwyoming.org/alliance
307.314.2188, PO Box 2332, Laramie, WY 82073

Geek Squad Invoice Scams:

A Sheridan citizen reported two emails impersonating Geek Squad support. The first was from a Gmail address with an attachment claiming to be an invoice. The subject line is “Thank you for your order!” Make sure you don’t open the attachment, call the number, or reply. The second email was from an email address that looked like QuickBooks, which does not own Geek Squad, but the victim was supposed to reply to an Outlook email address, and the subject line was “Invoice GEEKS9=89379672 from Geek Squad.”

USPS Services Text Scam:

A text was reported by a Laramie citizen saying “(USPS services) We have problem with your shipping address.Please verify [link]”. Note the incorrect spacing and grammar and remember that almost 50% of shipping notifications are fake.

SharePoint Scam:

If you receive an email with the subject line of “A new document has been shared with you on 5/13/2022 12:29:28 a.m. CEC” look at the date and time closely and remember that getting emails in the middle of the night is a warning sign. Don’t download the ‘scanned document.pdf’ because it probably contains malware. Reported by a Laramie citizen.

Wyoming Nonprofit Network Alert:

Southeast Wyoming nonprofits should be aware that a Colorado company is misrepresenting services and engaging in manipulative sales techniques. They claim that they have a returned copier that could be used by nonprofits for free or with a low-cost lease, but the nonprofit ends up with a long-term and expensive copier contract. If you receive this ‘offer’ please fill out this form (www.surveymonkey.com/r/753WL2K) for the Wyoming Nonprofit Network.

MS-ISAC Alert for HP PC BIOS Update:

What is a BIOS? It stands for Basic Input Output System and it is the software stored on a chip in the motherboard of your computer. If you have a Hewlett Packard PC or laptop be sure to follow this link to see if your computer is affected. support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_6184733-6184761-16/hpsbhf03788 If it is, you will need to install a newer driver (a piece of software that updates that chip in the motherboard.)

Did you use Western Union to Pay a Scammer:

Between January 1, 2004, to January 19, 2017, if you used Western Union to wire money to scammers, you may be able to file a claim up until July 1, 2022. Go to westernunionremissionphase2.com to fill out your claim, which are part of a $586 million dollar settlement. From the Federal Trade Commission.

Coaching Refund:

If you paid money for business coaching to My Online Business Education (MOBE), you may be entitled to a refund after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said it was returning more than $23 million to 37,000 subscribers who were allegedly misled about the firm's program. Refunds are being issued automatically. Brought to you by Scambusters.org.

It's Not Me:

There's a new bout of scam calls from impostors claiming to be the Commission's boss, Noah Phillips. The caller gives a supposed "badge" number as proof of identity and claims there's a warrant out for the victim's arrest. The only way out, says the scammer, is to pay by some untraceable means like cybercurrency or gift cards. The FTC doesn't do this, and Phillips certainly doesn't call individual consumers! Hang up. Brought to you by Scambusters.org.

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 Adobe (Character Animator, ColdFusion, InDesign, Framemaker, and InCopy), Google’s Chrome browser, Microsoft, Azure (Data Factory and Synapse Pipelines), and HP computer products. If you use these products, make sure the software (or firmware) is updated.

Data Breaches in the News:

Oklahoma City Indian Clinic, SuperVPN, GeckoVPN, Illuminate (product that some school districts use), Riviera Utilities (Alabama), ARcare, Illinois Gastroenterology Group, Smile Brands (dental support services vendor), Adaptive Health Integrations of Williston (North Dakota company that provides software and billing services for healthcare professionals), Newman Regional Health (Kansas), Bob’s Red Mill, Lakeview Loan Servicing, Florida International University, Christie Business Holdings Company (Christie Clinic in Illinois), East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, SuperCare Health (California-based respiratory care), and Snap-on.
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: 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 reportfraud.ftc.gov
  • Report your scam to the FBI at www.ic3.gov/complaint
  • Reported unwanted calls to the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call Registration. Online at donotcall.gov/report.html or call 1-888-382-1222, option 3
  • Office of the Inspector General: 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 www.aarp.org/fraudsupport to learn more about the free program and register

Other Blogs