Silicon Prairie Cyber Services' Blog

This month I’ve been sharing information about catfishing scams. Last week on one of my Instagram posts about catfishing, I received an interesting comment. The commenter basically said each person has value and a lot of people want to present their best self on social media, and to say that it's a scam is inaccurate.     This comment got me thinking about how we represent ourselves on social media .   In today’s Pinterest perfect society many of us only present our best selves on social media.   If you’re a business owner you are probably sharing branded, professional headshots of yourself on social media.   Why?   You want to look confident and put together.   You want to demonstrate that you are an expert that others can relate to and trust.   You want to present your best self to current and future customers to demonstrate the value of your products and services.   There's nothing wrong with presenting your best self on so...

Most catfishing scams involve the exchange of money. That’s why they’re working so hard to quickly form an emotional bond with you – so you hand over the $$$ willingly and quickly. What should you do if you already sent them money? File a police report Ask the police about options to retrieve the money File a complaint on https://ic3.gov Wait for instructions from police before breaking off contact as they may want you to engage so they can find them Save everything you have for evidence Did you miss the first 2 blog posts?  Catch up now. Week 1  Valentine's Day Chocolates and Catfish Scams Week 2  Think you've been catfished? Here's what to do

Last week in my blog I shared 3 easy steps to spot a catfish scam .  This  week I’m sharing what you should do if you think you are being catfished. Do some cyber sleuthing and answer the following questions to make an educated decision. Check out their online profile.  Too few friends?  Recently created? Are they avoiding talking on the phone, meeting in person, or video chatting?  Is their picture too good to be true?  Does their profile lack candid pics?  Does it look like it’s from a magazine? Is the pace of the relationship or friendship Too serious? Too fast? Too passionate?  Over the top?  On the personal or romantic side do they always need help? Do they need your money to rescue them? Are they making you feel sorry for them? Are they claiming to be military and just need some $$ to get home, go on leave, apply for leave, or pay medical expenses after war injury? Are the stories always over the top, way out there, or they the constant...

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and if you're like me you're looking forward to a nice box of chocolates.   Unfortunately, online fraudsters have something else in mind for you.  They are flooding your inboxes and social media DMs with scams that have been specially crafted to tug at your heartstrings. These scams are known as Catfishing. It’s in the news now again when a celebrity falls for the scam. But it can happen to anyone. What’s a Catfish (Besides the fish that swims in murky waters)? It’s an online con where someone assumes a new identity to seduce you via the internet. Some people do this for companionship because they feel like their own identity isn’t good enough. Others do it to trap you into handing over money or services. Think of a ‘catfish’ as a person who creates a false online identity in the hopes of luring people into romantic or emotional relationships with bad intentions. Once emotionally vested you are more likely to quickly hand ...