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As scams become more sophisticated using AI and other tools we need help trying to figure out how to detect . The Consumer Guy has put together a self-help primer to show you how scams work and how to detect them. We offer practical steps to protect yourself from the bad guys.
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[Music]
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There are plenty of self-help books out
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here. Teach you how to do anything. How
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to play the piano, for example, how to
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have a successful diet. Lots and lots of
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books about lots of topics. But there's
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not one book out there that teaches you
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how to avoid a scam. So, let's write
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that book right now.
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[Music]
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Page one. Scams aren't random. They're
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engineered. Somebody somewhere is
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testing messages, scripts, and timing to
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find the exact combination that makes
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you want to click, call, or hand over
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information.
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Page two, once you understand the
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mechanics of the scam, you stop being a
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target and instead become a problem for
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the scammer.
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Page three, how scams work. Scammers
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build trust the way that a salesperson
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does, only their product is deception.
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They use three basic premises.
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Authority, for example, posing as a
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bank, law enforcement, or government
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agency.
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Although, this call is officially a
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final notice from IRS. You had tried to
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do a fraud with the IRS Internal Revenue
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Service, and we are taking a legal
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action, and we are issuing an arrest
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warrant on your name.
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Urgency: Creating a fake deadline to
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make you act before you think.
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familiarity using names, logos, or
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details scraped from social media to
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seem legitimate. Fake sites like this
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phony Delta ad or fake American Airlines
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website have the wrong URL address.
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They're hoping that you don't notice
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it's not the real corporate address.
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That's another common scammer trick.
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They mix those premises with modern
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tools like spoop phone numbers, cloned
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websites, deep fake audio, and automated
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chat scripts. The result looks
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convincing enough to fool even the most
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careful person when the moment is right.
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Page four. Common red flags. Unexpected
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contacts asking for money, codes, or
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passwords. Legitimate organizations
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don't demand that. Pressure to act now.
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Final notice. One-time offer or threats
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of immediate consequences. Request for
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unusual payment methods. We're talking
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gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire
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transfers, or prepaid debit cards
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because all of them are hard to trace.
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Links or attachments in messages which
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claim to be invoices, refunds, or
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account alerts. Page five. You don't
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need a degree in cyber security. Just
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practice good cyber hygiene. So, here
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are some practical ways to protect
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yourself. Verify independently. If a
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caller claims to be from your bank, hang
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up and call the number on the back of
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your card or on the official website.
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Never use the number or link the caller
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provides. Use multifactor
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authentication. Freeze or monitor your
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credit if you suspect identity theft. A
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freeze stops new accounts from being
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opened in your name. Treat one-time
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codes just like cash. Never share
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verification codes with anybody who
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calls or messages you. Keep your
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software updated and use reputable anti
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virus tools. Many scams exploit old
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software and known vulnerabilities. Page
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six. What to do if you're scammed. Act
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fast. Contact your bank or card issuer.
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Report the fraud to the platform where
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it happened and change compromised
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passwords. Document everything.
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Screenshots, call logs, and transaction
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records. The sooner you move, the better
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your chance of recovery. Page seven.
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Remember, scammers rely on speed and
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surprise, so your best defense slow
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down. Treat any unexpected demands for
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money or info as suspicious. Remember,
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ask questions, lots and lots of
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questions, and remember to verify the
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claims independently.
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Most of all, refuse to cave into
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pressure. Now, you've written the book
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on how to avoid being scammed. working
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for you. I'm the consumer investigator,
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Steve Spraer.