Scam of The Week

Your phone buzzes with a text claiming to be from Apple Pay account services. You glance down to read it, and you feel a rush of fear. The text states that someone just charged $8,250 to your account. The message gives you a case number and phone number and warns that a second $8,250 charge will go through in 35 minutes unless you call the phone number right away. With the clock ticking, you might feel panicked and pressured to call.

A message pops up in your Facebook Messenger inbox from what appears to be an official Facebook account, “Meta Verified.” Unusually, the account name is misspelled as "Verrified," with an extra “r.” But what catches your attention is that the message says your Facebook account shows unusual activity. It includes a PDF attachment and warns that your account will be permanently deleted if you don't respond within 24 hours. The message includes the official Meta logo and states that it is encrypted, so at a glance, it seems real.

You receive a message on WhatsApp, a popular app for sending instant messages. It’s from someone you know, such as a colleague, a friend, or even a family member. They've sent over an attachment that appears to be a business document, like a billing statement, payment record, or an account notice. It's unusual for them to send you something like this, but since it's from someone you trust, you might think it’s safe to open it.

Imagine receiving an unexpected email from a well-known organization, such as Costco or Marriott, letting you know that you've been selected for an exclusive opportunity.