Death is a part of life and losing someone we love is unimaginable. We grieve in our own ways and phases. The best thing we can do to remember them and to keep a part of them is to celebrate their life and their legacy. We also want to protect their names and reputation. However, scammers may keep our loved ones from resting in peace.

After someone dies, it may take a few months for financial institutions, credit bureaus, and government entities to update their records. This gives an open window for scammers to steal the personal information of the deceased to commit fraud.

Scammers may use the personal information of the deceased to open new accounts, apply for loans, or file tax refunds.

How to prevent Ghosting Scam attacks

Aside from being careful about what you share online or in printed publications, these best practices can help you veer away from this scam:

• Do not give out too much information about your loved one’s full name, birthdate, home address, or even their social security number in an obituary.
• Inform the following agencies as soon as possible after death to stop any unauthorized transactions or claims:
  • Social Security Administration (SSA) or its counterpart in your country
  • Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or its counterpart in your country
  • Credit Bureaus
  • Banks
  • Insurance Companies
• Monitor your loved one’s credit report and financial accounts regularly for any suspicious activity. Get a free copy of their credit report once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com.
• Report any cases of ghosting scams to the police and fraud prevention organizations such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

What should we do when a deceased family member’s identity is stolen? Continue reading.

Worry no more! Trend Micro Has Your Back​

​What can you do? Don’t let the scammers get away with it. Remember to do your research, and stick to the big names. For further reference, this Middle-Eastern news website has published a good ​article​​ with some helpful suggestions for who to donate to.​

​We would encourage readers to use our ​​FREE​​ ​​Trend Micro Check​​ tool and detect scams with ease: Trend Micro Check is an all-in-one browser extension and mobile app for detecting scams, phishing attacks, malware, and dangerous links.​

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​Check out ​​this page​​ for more information on Trend Micro Check. If you found this article interesting or helpful, please share it with your friends and family to help keep the online community safe. Feel free to leave a like and comment as well.​

What is prreqcroab.icu?

The domain name, prreqcroab.icu, is not a secure website, and visitors are frequently redirected to other suspicious sites without their consent.

Recently, prreqcroab.icu has been reported to be blocked by different security software such as the AT&T Smart Manager.

For instance, if you click an attractive article or advertisement on Twitter or Facebook, the page may load with several messages or ads appearing. Still, the actual article you want to read may not load. This may be an attempt to launch spam or adware applets that can harm your computer. Instead of showing the desired article page, The website may redirect you to an unsafe destination, which can pose a threat to your privacy and security. Therefore, prreqcroab.icu behaves like a spamware.

What is a Spamware?

A Spamware is a malware that sends unsolicited and often unwanted messages or advertisements to many recipients, usually via email.  It can also generate pop-up ads or redirect web pages to advertising sites without the user's knowledge.  

Risks of Visiting Sites Associated with Prreqcroab.icu

• Malware Infection- Visiting the site or clicking links may download an adware and browser hijacker that compromises your system.
• Phishing - fake login pages are created to trick you into giving away your sensitive information like login credentials and financial data.
• Identity Theft - Giving personal information to prreqcroab.icu or related sites, like your name, address, or credit card details, can lead to identity theft, causing financial loss and other serious consequences.
• Pop-up Warnings and Advertisements - Visiting this website may lead to pop-up ads and unwanted software installation, causing system performance issues and browsing interference.

Protecting Yourself from Prreqcroab.icu

• Always be vigilant when browsing and clicking on links in emails, social media messages, or other sources you're unfamiliar with.
• Keep your web browser up-to-date.
• Use a pop-up blocker that can help prevent unwanted pop-up ads from appearing and reduce the likelihood of accidentally clicking on malicious ads.
• Make sure that you have an up-to-date antivirus program installed on your computer.
• You may add an extra layer of protection to your devices with Trend Micro Maximum Security. Its Web Threat Protection, anti-phishing, and anti-spam protection will help you combat scams and cyberattacks. The Trend Micro toolbar included in this program will help block malicious ads on websites that you accidentally visited.

Never Click on Unknown Links – Use ​​Trend Micro Check​​!​

​Trend Micro Check​​ is a browser extension and mobile app for detecting scams, phishing attacks, malware, and dangerous links — and it’s FREE!​

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We all love shopping, traveling, and social gatherings. It's likely that you've already come across QR codes, while you are walking around the mall or while sitting in a restaurant with a digital menu. They serve many functions, such as sharing product information, redirecting users to websites, or even facilitating contact tracing during the pandemic. QR codes are widely popular for contactless payment. As our needs evolve, we seek more convenient, efficient, and secure methods for conducting payment transactions, which is where QR code scanning comes into play.

QR codes are widely used for contactless payments. They allow customers to make purchases by simply scanning the code and authorizing the transaction on their smartphone, without the need for cash or cards.

What is a QR Code?

QR codes (Quick Response codes) are two-dimensional barcodes that can be scanned using a smartphone or other mobile device equipped with a QR code reader app. 

However, malicious QR codes can be created and used by cybercriminals to launch various types of attacks.

What are malicious QR codes and how do they harm you?

Malicious QR codes are QR codes that contain harmful information such as phishing links, malware downloads, or fraudulent transactions. They can be placed in public places such as posters, flyers, stickers, etc., sometimes covering up legitimate QR codes.

Attackers use malicious QR codes in several ways, including:

• Embedding malicious URLs within QR codes can lead to scams such as phishing, malware, and ransomware.
• Replacing legitimate QR codes with their own compromised ones by pasting them over existing ones.
• Sending malicious QR codes via email or social media to deceive users into scanning them.

Tips to spot a fake QR code:

• Look for signs of tampering, like stickers or labels covering a legitimate QR code, or codes that are placed in unusual locations or contexts.
• Check if the QR code matches the service or product you are expecting. If the QR code seems unrelated to the context or location, it might be suspicious.
• Verify the source of the QR code. Only scan codes provided by trusted entities or individuals and avoid scanning publicly available codes that are likely to be modified by fraudsters.
• Check the link where the QR code is redirecting. Before scanning, preview the URL contained in the code and pay attention to small spelling errors or unusual domains that might indicate a fake website.

Trend Micro QR Scanner for Android:

• Scans all QR codes easily, quickly, and safely
• Dangerous apps or websites are blocked and reported instantly
• It contains no 3^rd-party advertisements
• You can scan from the live camera or from saved images
• It’s 100% Free.
• Learn more about Trend Micro QR Scanner for Android

To all the incredible women who have made a positive impact in the world, Happy International Women's Day!   #IWD2023

March is Women's Month. It's a month-long celebration that honors our achievements in fields like politics, arts, science, sports, and cybersecurity.

Women in cybersecurity have made significant contributions to the industry. Our skills in communication, collaboration, and problem-solving make us valuable members of cybersecurity. Women have a unique ability to approach problems from different angles, bringing diverse perspectives that can lead to better solutions.

Let's explore and celebrate the role of women in tech throughout the history of cybersecurity.

Nowadays, almost all of the tasks and activities that we traditionally do offline can now be done online: banking, making friends, and even shopping. We are fully submerged in living life digitally. We are becoming more and more addicted to the convenience of getting things done with several clicks.

These may pose multiple risks to our safety, security, and privacy. Spoofing attacks are common and widespread in our digital environment.

How spoofing works

Email spoofing is a trick used in spam and phishing to make people think an email or a message is from someone they know or trust, but it's actually fake. They want to gain access to the victim's sensitive information, steal data, or spread malicious software.

What happens when you respond to a spoofing attempt

If you respond to a spoofing attempt, the outcome can depend on what information you give away. Usually, attackers use the information to commit different types of fraud, including stealing money, identity theft, spreading malicious apps, or obtaining more sensitive data. So, it's important to not reply, change your online account passwords and inform your bank and the right authorities immediately. 

Report the scam to prevent more victims.

• United States: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
• Australia: https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/
• New Zealand: scam@reportspam.co.nz
• United Kingdom: report@phishing.gov.u

Avoid becoming a victim of spoofing scams - read more.

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