Scammers Don’t Take Holidays, Neither Should Your Guard
First, before we get into the tech talk, I want to take a moment. As we gather around the grill with family and friends this Memorial Day, let’s not forget the reason we get to do that. I’m a disabled vet, and this day hits different for me. I’ve had friends who never made it home. So wherever you are today, take a second to remember them. They earned this day for us.
Now, back to what we do here.
The scammers? They’re not taking the day off.
While you’re flipping burgers, they’re firing off fake invoices, spoofed phone calls, and phishing emails. It’s not slowing down. In fact, it’s becoming the new normal. And the people getting hit hardest? Often our elderly family members, the ones sitting right there at your cookout today.
You’ve seen the playbook: a scary invoice claiming you owe $400 to Geek Squad for a renewal you never signed up for, or an “IRS agent” on the phone threatening arrest unless you pay up right now. They count on panic. They count on you not being prepared.
So let’s make sure you are.
How to Keep Scammers Out of Your Life
- Know your subscriptions. Make a simple list of what you pay for and when. When a fake renewal email lands in your inbox, you’ll spot it immediately instead of second-guessing yourself.
- Keep track of your invoices. Organize them, even loosely. If something unexpected shows up in your email or mailbox, you’ll know it’s not yours.
- Go directly to the official site. Scam emails look incredibly legitimate these days. Make it a hard rule: never click a link in an unexpected email or text to “contact the company.” Open your browser and go straight to their website yourself.
- Pay attention to tone. AI is making scam messages harder to spot, but there’s usually a tell: urgency, threats, or pressure. And if you push back or ask questions? They get harsh fast. That’s your signal. Hang up and report it to local authorities.
- Set up electronic bill payments. Autopay creates a pattern. You know which card you use for which bill. The moment a scammer asks you to pay a different way or give out bank info, you’ll know something’s wrong.
- Get a merchant-locked credit card. This is one we actually use ourselves. There’s a free service called Privacy (privacy.com) that lets you create virtual cards locked to a single merchant. So even if a scammer gets the number, it’s useless to them anywhere else. We’ve vetted it and use it. If you want to know how it works, reach out and we’ll walk you through it.
So You’ve Been Scammed. Now What?
It happens. You are not alone, and it’s not the end of the world. Here’s what to do immediately:
- Change your passwords. Ask us about the best way to manage them going forward.
- Monitor your accounts and freeze your credit. We can show you exactly how to do both.
- Set up alerts on your bank and credit cards so you’re notified the moment any transaction happens.
- Turn on multifactor authentication everywhere. This one is non-negotiable.
And if you feel overwhelmed, reach out to us. We can walk through it with you, make sure your computer is clean, and help you get back on solid ground. If you need a good antivirus recommendation, we’ve got that covered too.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, we’re just a call or message away.
Stay Safe Out There!