Posted on May 17, 2017
 

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed Better Business Bureau Regional Director Bob Brackeen who spoke on scams that target individuals and businesses, and how best to avoid them and becoming a victim.

Brackeen said there are constant threats online and by phone that come in many forms, some of them disguised well. Even despite warnings and alerts, a scam can often make its way through and past a person and a do a little – or sometimes a lot – of damage financially to an individual or business.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed Better Business Bureau Regional Director Bob Brackeen who spoke on scams that target individuals and businesses, and how best to avoid them and becoming a victim.

Brackeen said there are constant threats online and by phone that come in many forms, some of them disguised well. Even despite warnings and alerts, a scam can often make its way through and past a person and a do a little – or sometimes a lot – of damage financially to an individual or business.

One way the BBB helps is by tracking reported scams using an interactive map. For this area, that map can be found online at https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/central-texas/.

In the past week, a ransomware cyber attack caused a lot of problems and damage for thousands of people and companies by taking over computers and systems, demanding money to unlock and free their systems.

Another common cyber scheme is the "Tech Support" scam that throws up a window on a person's computer screen, telling the user a security issue has been encountered and instructing them to call a number for help. Don't do it, Brackeen said.

Brackeen said a company CEO recently fell for a fake, but legitimate-looking email asking for Social Security numbers for all employees, which the CEO sent back to the cyber thieves.

Phones, including cell phones, are another rich environment for scammers using a variety of ploys to get people to either send money or provide bank or credit card account information.

The best thing, Brackeen, is to always be suspicious of emails and phone calls from people and sources you don't know. For instance, if you receive a phone call from a number or name you do not recognize, don't answer it. If the call is legit, they will leave a message. If not, typically the unwanted calling source disconnects once it goes to voicemail or an answering machine.

With email, don't click suspicious links – don't even open emails that are from people and sources you don't know. If you do open a suspicious email, do not click any links or call any numbers once you confirm the email is not legitimate.

He encourages people to report phishing and scam attacks to the BBB trough its website and to utilize the BBB's online resources, including recommendations and tips when hiring professionals and contractors to help avoid being taken or overcharged by unscrupulous people posing as legitimate businesses, companies or services.

Brackeen is pictured above with the day's program chair, David May. Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, fellowship, updates on club projects and a program of interest. Come join us and learn what Rotary and community service is all about.