True Story : I gave $400 USD to a “so-called-mechanic” to fix my car who promised to get me a great deal and provide a service for me - then he walked smooth away with my money. I’ve not heard from him since. How did this happen?
Poor decision making and simply not paying attention to the warning signs.
The problem is, artists tend to be very open and trusting people.
We want to give everyone a chance, because that’s how we think when in essence not everyone thinks the same. There are very clear signs that one should consider - almost like a Pre-Screen before we handing anyone with our money!
According to The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau a potential scammer will find a way to create a sense of urgency or emergency to play on your emotions to get you to act quickly. If you’re in a desperate situation or are vulnerable you become even more of a target for their antics.
Watch out if someone:
- Pressures you to act right away by telling you the deal won’t last, or doesn’t give you time to ask questions.
- Claims to be from the government, a financial institution, a business, or someone you know and asks you to send them money.
- Asks you to pay money or taxes upfront to receive a prize or a gift.
- Avoids signing things: contracts, receipts, statements, etc.
- Treats other people slight or suspect - they will probably do the same to you.
- Tells you to send money using methods like wire transfers, cryptocurrency, payment apps, prepaid cards, or gift cards.
- Asks for access to your money or such as your ATM cards, bank accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency wallet or access codes, or investment accounts.
While we may be free to frolic Artists, we often forget that vulnerability is closer to home than we think it’s in the use or misuse of our phones because cybercriminals are quietly hunting for a point of entry that can be easily accessed—when your not paying attention.
It’s incredibly easy for scammers to set up honey pots—fake networks with innocent names like Free_Hotel_WiFi—just to snoop on your passwords and banking info.
Tour-life any one?
To totally shut this down, make a rule to never open sensitive apps on public networks unless you’re using a solid VPN. A VPN basically wraps your data in an encrypted tunnel, turning it into unreadable gibberish for anyone trying to spy on you. If you don’t have a VPN, skip the public network altogether and just use your phone’s cellular data or a local eSIM to spin up a secure personal hotspot.
Another sneaky hazard hides right inside public USB charging stations.
It turns out “juice jacking” is a real thing—scammers can modify those airport USB ports to secretly drop malware onto your phone or drain your private files while you think you’re just getting a quick battery boost.
The easiest workaround? Skip the public USB slots entirely. Stick to plugging your standard brick charger directly into an actual wall outlet, or rely on a portable power bank.
If a public USB port is your absolute only option, plug in using a cheap “USB data blocker” (a tiny adapter that lets power flow through but physically blocks any data from moving).
___________________________________________________________________
Online scams also love to mess with you while you’re in transit, usually through panic-inducing phishing texts or emails. You might get a sketchy alert that looks exactly like it’s from your airline or booking app, claiming your reservation was canceled or that you need to verify your payment immediately. Don’t take the bait, and definitely don’t click the link.
Instead, close out the message, open your browser, and log directly into the official website to see what’s actually going on.
And just in case your phone vanishes out of your pocket during a busy festival, make sure your face or fingerprint lock is active and have Find My Phone mode enabled so you can remotely wipe your device from afar.
Remember:
Guard your personal information
- Don’t share numbers or passwords for accounts, credit cards, or Social Security.
- Don’t click on links or scan QR codes from messages you don’t recognize or trust.
- Call the financial institution, company, organization, or government agency using their official phone number or website to confirm if there is a real problem.
- Put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry. Go to www.donotcall.gov or call (888) 382-1222.
- Slow down and verify
- Never pay up front for a prize or offer. It’s a scam if you are told that you must pay fees or taxes first.
- Scammers often use attractive offers to get your attention before asking for money or information.
Comments
Post a Comment