Here's how to spot fake online stores
Increased online shopping means more sham websites.
Earlier in the internet era, legitimate websites had the “https” in the address bar — which indicated the use of a secure programming language, hence the ‘s.’ Now, however, more than half of phishing sites use https technology, too, which makes discerning scam sites from legitimate businesses even more challenging.
Some tips:
1. Pay attention to the URL. Some fake websites can look like the real deal at first glance. If you used a search engine to get to the site, always look in the address bar to confirm that you are on the real deal. Open another window and search for the company you think you’re doing business with and compare the addresses. If they don’t match, be suspicious.
2. Use a website checker. This involves using an online verification service like UrlVoid.com. You enter the suspect website’s URL into the address bar and it gives some details about the site, as well as a threat analysis and a safety report.
3. Hover over the address bar to make sure there’s a padlock. If you click on the padlock — a little icon in the address bar that you might never have noticed — it will tell you some valuable information about the site.
4. Rely on your browser. Many browsers have security checks in place and can warn you if a website is suspicious. If you see a “not secure” warning, back out of the site and close the page.
5. Look for a trust seal. These are indicators the site is using precautions to secure your transaction.
If you run across a fake website, please report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center: https://bit.ly/1PZ3fOx
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DID EQUIFAX BREACH GET YOU? Credit-reporting agency Equifax said it would pay nearly $700 million as part of a legal settlement for its role in a massive 2017 data breach that exposed the personal information of 148 million consumers. Now you can see if you’re entitled to a check.
The agreement still has to be approved in court, but the company has set up a claims website at: EquifaxBreach Settlement.com
I was required to enter my last name and last six digits of my Social Security number. I was surprised when a message popped up telling me I was one of the consumers compromised in the breach.
As a class member, you could be entitled to receive damages. Other forms of relief are free credit monitoring, free ID restoration service and up to six free copies of your Equifax credit report. If you choose to decline the free 10-year credit monitoring from Equifax, the agency says you can opt for a $125 cash payment.
If you don’t want to file online you’ll still need to download a claim form from the website, fill it out and mail it to:
Equifax Data Breach Settlement Administrator
c/o JND Legal Administration
P.O. Box 91318
Seattle, WA 98111-9418
Equifax says the settlement will resolve multiple federal and state investigations, including those by the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus, and attorneys general in 48 states. For the consumer, it will be interesting to see how many hoops one has to jump through to get any relief.
Equifax has already indicated that only $31 million from the settlement will be available for those looking for the cash option of $125. That means if more than 248,000 people sign up, the amount of money distributed will be less than advertised.
If you sign up for the settlement, you’re giving up your future right to sue. If you’d prefer to reserve your right to take legal action against Equifax, you must mail them a “request for exclusion” by Nov. 19, 2019. No action will constitute waiver of right to sue.
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TECH SOLUTIONS — OR TREACHERY?: A Coeur d’Alene reader called to warn us about a company called InfoTECH Solutions that allegedly hijacked her computer and wouldn’t give her access to the internet without a payment of $199. She looked them up. The company does have a secure website that states it’s based in Louisiana. It appears to be legitimate, so it’s possible the scammer is using the company’s name but isn’t associated with it.
Our reader said she couldn’t afford the payment but she needed access to the internet. She reluctantly agreed to charge the ransom on her credit card so the hacker would unblock her computer. Once she agreed to the payment, the hacker’s attitude changed and he became very nice. He even agreed to set her up on a payment plan of $100 for the first month and $99 for the second month to make the “theft” more affordable. He then released the block on her computer so she could access the internet — but then the bank refused the charge.
Once this became known to the hacker, he has relentlessly hounded our reader to the point of calling her dozens of times a day and threatening her with legal action. My advice to the reader: Get your computer cleaned up because it’s very likely the hacker has installed malware and it’s just a matter of time before he’s able to block her internet access again.
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If you have encountered a consumer issue, please send me an email at terridickersonadvocate@gmail.com or call me at 208-274-4458. Include your name and a phone number or email.