Security & Viruses

Understand Zelle scams through U.S. bank apps, including instant bank-to-bank transfers, fake bank fraud calls and texts, sending money to yourself to reverse or protect accounts, marketplace scams on Facebook Marketplace Craigslist and similar sites, romance emergency travel and medical bill requests, overpayment scams, wrong-number and accidental payment scams, reporting quickly to the bank using the number on the card or official app, asking for Zelle recalls, reporting transactions in banking apps, filing police and FTC reports, understanding authorized versus unauthorized transfers Regulation E and reimbursement limits, asking banks about evolving policies, using Zelle only with trusted people, never sending money to reverse bank alerts, using buyer-protection platforms or cash for stranger purchases, and avoiding online relationship money requests.

Explain the one ring phone scam also called Wangiri on iPhone Android and landlines, including missed calls that ring once and hang up, scammers dialing thousands of numbers, why calling back is the scam, premium-rate international numbers, hold music and fake automated menus, checking unfamiliar area codes especially Caribbean-style numbers that look domestic, calling businesses through official numbers instead of missed-call logs, blocking numbers on iPhone and Android, international charges appearing on phone bills, contacting carriers about disputes, registering at donotcall.gov, enabling carrier spam blocking, and recognizing text-message variants that ask you to call unfamiliar numbers.

Protect against WhatsApp verification code scams on iPhone and Android, including unexpected six-digit codes, attackers registering your phone number on another device, messages from compromised contacts strangers or fake WhatsApp support asking for the code, never sharing verification codes, understanding the code itself is not dangerous unless sent to someone else, enabling WhatsApp two-step verification with a PIN, recognizing timing after unexpected code texts, re-registering your number if you shared a code, waiting out unknown two-step verification PIN recovery when necessary, warning contacts through another channel, reporting compromise through WhatsApp Help Contact Us, and applying the same code-sharing rule to Google Facebook and other SMS-protected accounts.

Respond when a U.S. bank or credit union account is hacked, including unauthorized charges online banking lockouts card check and electronic fraud, calling the number on the back of the card or official website, avoiding numbers from texts and emails, freezing or locking accounts and linked cards, identifying unauthorized transactions, opening fraud investigations and getting case numbers, requesting new card numbers and online banking resets, asking about zero-liability policies and Regulation E, changing online banking passwords to unique credentials, enabling two-factor authentication, checking new payees linked accounts and changed contact details, changing reused passwords elsewhere, freezing credit with Equifax Experian and TransUnion, pulling free credit reports at annualcreditreport.com, filing identitytheft.gov reports and police reports when needed, sending written follow-up through secure messaging or mail, understanding two-business-day reporting importance, debit versus credit protections, and monitoring statements for small test charges.

Recognize gift card scams in the United States, including calls texts emails and social messages asking for Google Play Apple Target Amazon and other cards, demands to read numbers and PINs from the back, fake IRS police utility tech support grandchild emergency debt fine fee and computer problem stories, rule that no legitimate government agency utility bank tech support law enforcement office or business accepts gift cards as payment, why scammers drain balances instantly and remotely, urgency and pay-within-minutes pressure, hanging up without pressing buttons or calling back, contacting gift card issuers retailers and store customer service immediately after sharing codes, keeping physical cards and receipts, reporting to FTC and purchase stores, filing police reports, calling organizations back through official numbers, warning older adults, answering cashier safety questions honestly, and treating gift-card requests over text email and hacked-friend accounts as scams.

Explain spyware on Windows PCs Macs iPhones and Android phones, including software that secretly monitors devices and sends information elsewhere, differences from viruses and adware, installation through free apps cracked software browser extensions and phishing links, hidden background operation, data collection from browsing history keystrokes location messages photos microphone camera apps and usage, advertisers criminals and stalkerware as possible operators, persistence after deletion, symptoms such as battery drain hot devices data spikes camera or microphone indicators and unusual behavior, careful response when spyware may be installed by a partner or family member, National Domestic Violence Hotline technology safety guidance, scanning with Windows Security and reputable mobile tools, and avoiding fake spyware removal ads and popups.

Explain multi-factor authentication MFA and two-factor authentication 2FA for email banking social media apps and websites, including password plus something else, factors as something you know something you have and something you are, codes sent to phones authenticator apps physical security keys fingerprints and face scans, why stolen passwords alone are not enough, differences between SMS codes authenticator apps and hardware security keys, SIM swap risk with text-message codes, Google Authenticator codes changing every 30 seconds, security keys resisting phishing, prioritizing MFA for primary email banking cloud storage identity and finance accounts, and understanding MFA as one of the strongest account protections.

Explain phishing across email texts phone calls and social media, including impersonation of banks companies government agencies coworkers and delivery services, phishing as a con rather than a technical hack, borrowed trust urgency fear and specific requests for passwords one-time codes credit card numbers Social Security numbers wire transfers or fake login page clicks, smishing vishing social media phishing pretexting and channel variations, fake websites that copy real login pages and lookalike domains, warning signs like generic greetings mismatched sender addresses suspicious links urgent actions requests legitimate companies would not make and unusual gift card wire or crypto payments, verifying independently through typed websites and known phone numbers, not replying, reporting phishing through Gmail Outlook Anti-Phishing Working Group and FTC, and recognizing that sophisticated phishing can fool cautious users.

Explain ransomware on Windows PCs Macs and phones, including malware that encrypts photos documents and files then demands cryptocurrency for a key, phishing attachments malicious links fake updates compromised downloads infected USB drives and pirated software as entry points, quiet file encryption in the background, ransom notes desktop wallpaper text files countdowns price increases key deletion and data leak threats, why paying does not guarantee recovery and may invite future targeting, individual versus business risk, offline backups external drives cloud backups with versioning, updating operating systems and software, avoiding unexpected attachments macros cracked software and keygens, using reputable antivirus and Windows Defender real-time protection, disconnecting Wi-Fi or ethernet at first signs, checking StopRansomware.gov and No More Ransom decryptors, reinstalling operating systems after removal, and restoring from backups.

Explain social engineering through calls texts emails social media workplace and in-person interactions, including manipulation of people instead of hacking computers, impersonating banks bosses family tech support government agencies and delivery companies, urgency fear authority helpfulness love and trust as pressure points, using information from social media public records and data breaches, ending with specific asks such as links passwords gift card codes wire transfers or remote access, phishing vishing smishing pretexting and baiting, why tech skill alone does not prevent emotional manipulation, pausing when urgency and requests for money information or access appear, verifying independently with known websites and phone numbers, and recognizing social engineering in businesses and personal life.