Julia K Cole

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - McAfee, the computer security software company, has announced its annual  12 Scams of the Holidays  list for consumers to help them avoid unwrapping an online threat while surfing digital devices. Cybersecurity threats heighten during the holiday season as consumers unknowingly share personal data across their devices. The 12 scams include: You've Got Mail : Think twice before clicking links in shipping notification emails, and always verify the shipping company before giving out personal information. Deceptive Advertising : Beware of deals that are too good to be true as they could steal your personal information and ruin your holiday cheer. Chilling Charities : 'Tis the season to donate, but be wary of fake charities. Do your research and double-check the site URL. Buyer Beware : Check your credit card statements to make sure you don't have unwanted charges as a result of a point-of-sale breach. iScams : Today, smartphones act as a pho...

Cell phone users are being warned to think twice before answering any suspicious calls from the Caribbean Islands. According to the Better Business Bureau, a new "one ring" scam is giving phone owners unauthorized charges on their wireless bills. WGHP reports that the calls  may come  from Antigua, Jamaica, Grenada and any other Caribbean Islands and that the phone rings only one time before disconnecting. If a customer calls back the number displayed, the BBB details that the caller will then be charged $19.95 for an international call fee and an additional $9-per-minute charge. Users reporting the scam to the BBB have said the calls normally come from outside the U.S. To protect yourself, the BBB encourages consumers not to answer calls from unknown, out-of-state numbers. But if you do answer the phone, they recommend not to call it back if the call disconnects.  SOURCE :   International Business Times

The Better Business Bureau is warning customers of a new utility scam. The BBB said customers are receiving calls by scammers, who tell them their payments are overdue. Scammers as customers to make those overdue payments by “green dot money pack carsd” in the next hour, or their utilities will be disconnected. Charlie Mattingly, Louisville Better Business Bureau, said those cards act as cash and are untraceable, meaning the customers lose their money. Mattingly also said the scammers sometimes ID spoof the calls, so the caller ID may say that they are calling from a local number, when they are actually out of the country. SOURCE :   WHAS

For us, the human experiencers,  o btaining and maintaining financial security is very important.   After all, it's money that pays for our utilities, water, food, clothing and shelter.   Among other things.    In this day and age, working with integrity seems to have fallen into some idiotic gray area. As far as I  know gray areas are something my hair dresser fixes when I go in for my 90 day spruce up.  Thank you very much!    Seriously though,  these days integrity appears to be  going by way of it's long time companions good sense, logic and courtesy.  All of which rode off on a horse with no name into the sunset never to be seen or heard from again!     Since the day the Internet became available to everyone and their proverbial brother honesty and integrity have really been put to the test.    Scam artists and everyone looking to make a fast buck or find that next get rich & famous quick have ne...