Warren Buffett is Pretty Cool:

While Warren Buffett is a well-known philanthropist, a Laramie citizen reported a scam email saying “Warren Buffett picked you for a $1,500,000 donation. For more details reply.” The email is from a Singapore (.sg) email address and we all know Mr. Buffett is from Omaha.

Lowe’s Impersonation Email:

If you receive an email with the subject line of “Get your FREE PowerDrillStation” impersonating Lowes but from a universe.com email address, a Sheridan citizen wants you to know it is fake. Don’t click on the link.

IMF Payment Totally Fake:

A Laramie citizen reported an email from Dr. Robert Carter who claims to be the Coordinator for the IMF’s and World Bank’s International Settlement Unit urging you to call a number to access funds owed to you. Don’t call the number! The subject line is “RESPOND QUICKLY” and no government agency will send you a request through a Gmail address.

Wish it WAS the Final Notice:

A Sheridan citizen continues to get spam emails from a universe.com email address and the latest one’s subject line is “Final Notice [name redacted] Check no” with a link to a new URL website to m.umusic.com instead of the previous Christmas card company link in the UK. The email claims to be from McAfee, a popular antivirus software, but oddly the scammer uses the registered trademark sign between each letter in McAfee so it looks like this M®c®A®f®e®e® in the senders address. While the Sheridan citizen wishes this truly was the final notice from this scammer, we certainly appreciate her diligence in letting us know about this scam. Thank you!

Don’t Panic, It’s not the FBI:

FBI impersonation calls are on the rise. First advice from the actual FBI – if you don’t know the number, let it go to voice mail. Scam call centers won’t leave a message. If you do answer the call, how do you tell if it is real? An official FBI special agent will never provide a badge number or telephone number over an unsolicited call as the only means to verify their identity. Instead, a real agent will direct you to the FBI's official website so that you can locate your local field office's telephone number and make a call yourself. Read more here: bestlifeonline.com/fbi-scam-call-warning-news/ Reported by a Laramie citizen.

RoboText Alert from Scambusters.org:

Americans now get around 12 billion robotexts per month. Watch for the signs of a scam on text: phone numbers you don’t recognize, vague information, questions that come from someone you don’t know, and misspellings. Never reply STOP as a response, just delete and file a complaint with the FCC by forwarding the text to SPAM (7726). consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us

Watch for Abortion Pill Scams:

First, medical information site WebMD warns of fake clinics and online pharmacies offering abortion medications that may be expired, counterfeit, or even non-existent. Online searches for this type of pill have more than doubled in recent weeks. Often, the illegal sites offer products without prescription -- a clear signal that it's not legit. Read the WebMD report here: tinyurl.com/Scambusters-WebMD. Other crooks have jumped on the bandwagon by claiming they can supply pills that reverse an abortion. While there are experimental procedures for reversal, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says reversal is not supported by science. See tinyurl.com/Scambusters-ACOG. Others may disagree, but either way, anyone offering this medication online without a prescription is breaking the law. Brought to you by scambusters.org.

Record-breaking:

Levels of fraud and related scams reported to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) reached a record level during 2021 says a new report on ID theft trends. For example, social media account hijacking was up more than 1,000% on the previous year. Download the full report here: tinyurl.com/Scambusters-ITRC-trends. Note: You have to fill in a form first, requiring personal details including your name and email address. Brought to you by scambusters.org.

DoorDash dilemma:

Food delivery service DoorDash says one of its third-party vendors was compromised in a clever phishing attack, resulting in some customer information being exposed, including some names, phone numbers, and partial card information. Customers are advised to change their account passwords. Brought to you by scambusters.org.

The Most Common Scams Targeting Seniors:

According to the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center and Scambusters.org, the most common scam that targets seniors are romance scams. The other scams that round out the top 6 are tech support, timeshare sales/resales, imposter scams/identity theft, lottery winnings/inheritances, and investment fraud. Protect your family. Make scams a topic at the dinner table and discuss the common ones out there.

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’s Chrome browser product. If you use this product, make sure the software (or firmware) is updated.

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Please report scams you may experience to phishing@cyberwyoming.org 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 ag.consumer@wyo.gov
• 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 phishing@irs.gov
• 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