NEW CASTLE —
A few weeks ago, my computer went crazy.
Boxes filled with warning notices and ominous-looking yellow triangles popped up on my screen, to tell me my system was filled with dangerous viruses. I was in imminent danger of having all sorts of personal information, passwords and financial data stolen.
The only hope, these warnings informed me, was to sign up for the 2012 version of Vista Home Security, an antivirus program that would defeat the dangerous virus horde. But I needed to act quickly — or else.
It was all pretty scary stuff.
However, I didn’t act quickly; instead, I checked it out. Call it the journalist in me. Or perhaps I’m naturally skeptical — especially when someone is trying to frighten me into doing something. What was popping up on my computer screen didn’t add up.
I have two layers of antivirus protection and a firewall on my computer. How could it suddenly suffer so many Internet infections?
Also, I was unfamiliar with Vista Home Security. Where did it come from, and why was it trying to do me a favor?
So I Googled it and discovered Vista Home Security was a subtle virus capable of slipping past many antivirus programs. And rather than protect my computer, its real goal was to get me to sign up for its top protection, which would require me to submit a credit card number.
In other words, the virus wouldn’t steal my information, I would give it up gladly.
My guess is that a lot of people fall for this scam, in part because it looks real and in part because fear is a powerful human motivator. And the people behind such scams know that.
In fact, it’s fear and greed that make the vast majority of scams so dangerous. If people bothered to stop and think, it’s doubtful they ever would fall for them.
Unfortunately a lot of people do. That’s why my email is full of requests from people in far-off lands who are trying to smuggle millions of dollars out of their countries, and they just happened to select me to assist with the effort.
Naturally, I will receive a big cut of the loot for any assistance I render. All I need to do is provide a bank account number or some other information to make it possible.
Scams come in countless varieties these days, made possible by the technology of the Internet and telephones. There’s not a week that goes by without several coming to our attention in the newsroom.
Sometimes, people seem to be surprised these scams exist. I’m surprised when I come across individuals who haven’t been jaded by them. They’re everywhere.
And they change constantly. No source of information can keep up with the task of alerting the public to new ones that crop up.
But if they come in assorted forms and in various degrees of sophistication, how are people supposed to protect themselves and their information?
The answer is simple: Be suspicious.
Skepticism is a wonderful quality. It not only protects against scams, it helps to inoculate us from all manner of manipulation.
We’re going to need it in the coming election season, when we’re bombarded by all those scary and negative ads that are coming our way.
Mitchel Olszak
Related Photos
-
Mitchel Olszak, Dear Reader
Discussion
Mitchel Olszak: Scammers learn to feed off human fear
- Mitchel Olszak
-
-
Mitchel Olszak: Another medical truth falls by the wayside
Everybody knows that if you want to lower your risk of a heart attack, it’s important to raise your HDL level. The term refers to high-density lipoprotein, also known as “good” cholesterol. It’s the opposite of low-density lipoprotein, the “bad” cholesterol that blocks coronary arteries and causes heart attacks.
-
Mitchel Olszak: Politics of marriage makes lots of money
Excitement raged across the political spectrum last week when President Obama came out in support of gay marriage. I yawned. The news didn’t strike me as particularly dramatic.
-
Mitchel Olszak: GOP dispute is matter for the party, not the law
John Altman is someone I would describe as a good citizen. You may not always agree with him, but he is involved and active in the community in a variety of ways. A frequent candidate for New Castle City Council, Altman has never won elected office, but he keeps trying.
-
Mitchel Olszak: Lavish spending reflects badly on government
Boy, those federal employees sure now how to live it up. At least that’s the impression. Recent revelations about a 2010 conference conducted by the General Services Administration have made it a symbol for government excess and arrogance. The conference cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and included such expenses as magicians and commemorative medals.
-
Mitchel Olszak: Take a close look at tax elimination plans
There are seemingly countless ways to tax people. And these days, there are seemingly countless proposals for dramatically altering — or even eliminating — various taxes.
-
Mitchel Olszak: Reshaping Legislature remains self-serving project
When the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected a legislative reapportionment plan earlier this year, it created a tizzy. At least among state lawmakers. They had gone to the trouble of crafting new districts designed to aid their re-election efforts, and here were judges who demanded better.
-
Mitchel Olszak: Is ‘social Darwinism’ a new species of insult?
If Barack Obama wanted to insult the political right in America, he picked an unusual way to do it. And I’m pretty sure his use of the term “social Darwinism” was a deliberate insult. While such conduct doesn’t quite match the rhetoric of a man who pledged to restore civility to Washington upon taking office, it fits into the general scheme of things these days.
-
Mitchel Olszak: Florida shooting raises multitude of questions
“The fog of war” is a term for confusion that arises from battlefield actions. Who fired first? Who issued that command? Why was that order missed or misunderstood? Whenever there are mistakes made in combat situations, and investigations result, answers can be difficult to come by.
-
Mitchel Olszak: Don’t expect me to start using Facebook
If you go looking for my Facebook site, you won’t find it. That’s because I don’t have one. There are several reasons I have refused to join the Facebook rush, but mainly, it’s because I prefer to operate in the real world, rather than in a virtual one.
-
Mitchel Olszak: Republicans deny role in mandated coverage
In presidential primary campaigns, a common tactic is to cast your opponent as a sympathizer of the other party. You’re seeing a lot of that in this year’s Republican presidential contest as Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul attempt to define each other in Democratic terms.
- More Mitchel Olszak Headlines
-
