Kimberly Palmer’s Post

💻 Have you ever clicked on a link and then wish you hadn't? As technology has advanced and brought new capabilities, so have the methods employed by scammers. Check out these common scams – and how to avoid them. 💡Here are some tips: 1. Don't pay for things you don't remember ordering. 2. Don't give your personal information to unknown third parties. 3. Work with financial institutions that use fraud protection to safeguard your credit card and banking information. 4. Don't click links in the body of suspicious emails, especially if they claim to come from your bank, credit card company, real estate agent or title company. Instead, log in to the company's official website or call them directly to verify. 5. Don't let strangers into your house. Instead, ask for a business card and say your spouse, kids or lawyer will be in touch. 6. Be wary of caregivers and suitors, especially if you notice signs of substance abuse or other red flags. 7. Limit the purchases and donations you make by check, which may list your home address or other key data. ➡If you suspect you've fallen victim to a scam or that your identity has been compromised, it's time to act. Report the incident to your advisor right away to help protect your accounts and consult identitytheft.gov to see the Federal Trade Commission's recommendations for critical next steps. Additionally, reporting cybercrime incidents to the FBI can help federal agencies respond quicker and more effectively to threats. #security #identitytheft #scams #women #seniors #technology

J.D. Power is gearing up to release our inaugural Financial Account Protection Study this October. The importance of avoiding fraud and supporting customers who fall prey to it is paramount for financial institution leaders. Setting customers up for success with prevention education/tools, ensuring strong technical measures for safety, and having robust resolution processes are key. Information from groups like Identity Theft Resource Center - Nonprofit is invaluable. How are you helping today's consumer avoid getting scammed? Check out more insights on summer scams from the Identity Theft Resource Center - Nonprofit: https://lnkd.in/eHCAxi-S #financialprotection #fraudprevention #customersafety #identitytheft #scamawareness #spoofing

Please see following GoFundMe for a loyal friend and encourager, Lee Erickson, who was a victim of cruel and criminal elder fraud. Her daughter Effie Siverts wrote the following: "My mother Lee was the victim of an elaborate cybercrime and elder fraud scheme (tech/customer service and government impersonation scam) that not only devastated what little savings she had, living on social security income, but also forced her to lose work to address all of the many elements of rebuilding and reclaiming her life after this vicious identity theft incident. After my father's unexpected passing in April of 2022 she's been able to find part-time work as a companion and non-medical caregiver to other elder members of our community. "The trauma and depravity of this scam comes literally on the heels of many of her own medical health crisis in this same timeframe: recovering from two heart attacks, congestive heart failure, pulmonary edema, pleurisy, RSV, a total left hip replacement, and bilateral cataract surgeries. She's financially crippled by this incident and working diligently to rebuild her life on so many levels, while being impassioned to use her story to help educate and inform others of this experience to bring awareness and a means to an end of these haneous crimes. "To say she was vulnerable is a given, but the fact that people out there actually prey on, isolate, and psychologically manipulate individuals such as her is sickening. The amount that we are seeking in this GoFundMe is the amount that she lost from savings only, not reflective of loss of work. "If you have opportunity to share her story or help her recover from this loss in any way, bless you." https://gofund.me/ccd0bd96

Be wary of financial scams! If someone contacts you claiming to be your bank or an investor, always verify their information before giving them any money. According to recent reports, some of the top scams this year are AI deep fakes, identity theft, and fake charity schemes. Stay informed and protect yourself. https://lnkd.in/gDSdwVyD. #financialsafety #protectyourself #scamawareness

“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number…” This 1974 hit by Steely Dan certainly wasn’t talking about your social security number, but yet it offers some really good advice. As regular readers of my posts know, social security theft is a huge problem. For example, the network systems of one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the US, called PharMerica, were breached by hackers earlier this year. The cybercriminals managed to steal the personal information of nearly six million people. If you have had your social security number stolen and become a victim of identity theft, you might be tempted to get a new SSN. But a recent article from Nasdaq points out that it’s not a good idea. There are several reasons for this. If you get a new number you will lose your credit history, academic records and professional degrees. With no credit history, it will be hard to get new credit, open a bank account or rent or buy a home. The article below gives some great information about steps you can take to protect your SSN and what to do if it is stolen. #identityprotection #credit

Beware of identity theft scams in the #NotforProfit sector like fraudulent donation requests. Stay alert and protect your organization with these tips! 👇 #FraudPrevention

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is issuing a #cybersecurity alert for #texans this holiday season. Their guidance urges caution against #scams that cost Texans millions: - While selling items, avoid buyers who want items shipped before they send payment - Before donating, check the legitimacy of the charitable organization - Be wary of online transactions that solely require wire transfers, virtual currency or gift cards Furthermore, #businessowners should secure their financial accounts, avoid sharing sensitive information and use dedicated credit cards for online purchases. For more details, read the full advisory below. Interested in more #fraud prevention insights? I can connect you with an experienced Frost advisor. Member FDIC. #FraudPrevention #BusinessInsights #CheckFraud

This is another post that may be a bit controversial. (Except this time I'm serious.) I try to donate to a lot of different organizations and I know a lot of other people do as well. In my case, it's primarily environmental, animal welfare, human rights, public media, and stuff like that. I prefer to do my giving on a monthly basis (most charities seem to prefer this as well). Over the last year or so, I've seen a lot of these organizations really pushing people to move their monthly donations from their credit cards to their bank accounts. I highly discourage this! (With today's cybersecurity landscape, I think this is borderline irresponsible.) Mind you, I have been very critical of credit card companies in the past about some of their practices. But, while I don't know about regulations outside the US, in the US, it is much easier to deal with fraud against your credit card, than it is to deal with fraud that targets your bank account. At the very least, you typically have some time to deal with credit card fraud because you have a due date for a credit card payment, whereas a threat actor can literally drain your bank account, and then, good luck getting those funds back. (Quick shout out to CYBERA in trying to change this.) On the other hand, most credit cards have a pretty low limit that a victim is responsible for. In other words, I recommend paying directly from your bank account for as few things as humanly possible! (Don't get me started on ATM cards.) Now, I do understand that there is an added cost associated with a credit card transaction, but in today's world of rampant breaches and leaks, (and non-profits get hit too), the fewer organizations that have access to your bank account the better! In this case, the filter that the credit card companies provide is well worth the price. One caveat here, I recently had a commercial service provider start charging me an added $20 per month for using a credit card as opposed to a direct bank account payment. I think this is outrageous for a couple of reasons. The $20 is much higher than any added percentage that the credit card company may be charging them (we're talking an almost 10% markup!!!). Secondly, this particular company, which shall remain nameless because I have friends there, has suffered enumerable breaches over the last several years. The bottom line - unless you can GUARANTEE the security of your systems, stop pushing your clients or donors to disclose their bank account information to you!

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is issuing a #cybersecurity alert for #texans this holiday season. Their guidance urges caution against #scams that cost Texans millions: - While selling items, avoid buyers who want items shipped before they send payment - Before donating, check the legitimacy of the charitable organization - Be wary of online transactions that solely require wire transfers, virtual currency or gift cards Furthermore, #businessowners should secure their financial accounts, avoid sharing sensitive information and use dedicated credit cards for online purchases. For more details, read the full advisory below. Interested in more #fraud prevention insights? I can connect you with an experienced Frost advisor. Member FDIC. #FraudPrevention #BusinessInsights #CheckFraud

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is issuing a #cybersecurity alert for #texans this holiday season. Their guidance urges caution against #scams that cost Texans millions: - While selling items, avoid buyers who want items shipped before they send payment - Before donating, check the legitimacy of the charitable organization - Be wary of online transactions that solely require wire transfers, virtual currency or gift cards Furthermore, #businessowners should secure their financial accounts, avoid sharing sensitive information and use dedicated credit cards for online purchases. For more details, read the full advisory below. Interested in more #fraud prevention insights? I can connect you with an experienced Frost advisor. Member FDIC. #FraudPrevention #BusinessInsights #CheckFraud