On Thursday, Jan 18th we discussed these increasingly sophisticated attempts to steal your identity or money. AI tools have enabled tricksters to create convincing e-mails and websites. Ever wonder why we use the term “spam” when referring to unwanted junk e-mail? Let’s get a hint from Monty Python and their sketch, “Spam.”
We used this article to guide our discussion. It gives a good review of the current threats, highlighting how thieves use human psychology and high-quality websites to trap the unwary (the article includes some informative summary diagrams) 10 scams you should know about in 2024 https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/10-scams-you-should-know-about-in-2024/
If you think you have been involved in a scam you should report it to the police, which can be done on-line or in person How to report cybercrime in Spain. https://www.bitdefender.com/blog/hotforsecurity/how-to-report-cybercrime-in-spain/
In the case of Spam, here are some helpful tips on managing your e-mail client to stop spam: https://joncosson.com/how-to-stop-getting-spam-emails-permanently
…and if you get Spam phone messages, either Google the number that sent it to see if it is legit or type it into ListaSpam https://www.listaspam.com While we were discussing this, Chris received a spam message supposedly from Correos about an undelivered package. She denounced the number as Spam on ListaSpam. Her Android phone automatically blocks most spam calls and lists them like this:
Many members didn’t have such a facility on their phones and merely ignored calls from numbers they did not know. Still, it would be worth installing a Spam blocking app in case a call from an unknown number is genuine – e.g. from your GP.
The Robinson list is a handy way of managing unwanted marketing calls: https://www.listarobinson.es
Chris Betterton-Jones – Knowledge Junkie