COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) After several major companies were hit with ransomware attacks, the White House gave a stern warning this week to companies to beef up it’s security systems. It’s not just big corporations that are at risk, cybersecurity experts worry about small businesses and individuals who are also targets. “I worry for these small
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) It’s a popular trend hitting the financial market, investing in cryptocurrency. However, with the rise in popularity comes online scammers. According to a report from the Federal Trade Commission since October 2020, consumers have reported losing more than $80 million to cryptocurrency investment scams. In that report, nearly 7,000 reports were received
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Mental health apps are becoming more popular, especially during the pandemic. Like any sort of app or website, your data might not be as safe as you think. Prasad Calyam with the University of Missouri Engineering school told ABC 17 News anytime a user inputs their data into an app, the user
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) With Memorial Day weekend and summer around the corner, you might be looking to book your next vacation. As rental vacation sites gain more popularity it is also populated with scammers. Before you start booking your next vacation, the Better Business Bureau says to watch out for several red flags. “Since it’s
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) As vaccine eligibility opens up to more Missourians and Americans, people are wanting to share the moment on their social media accounts. Some people have been posting a selfie with their vaccination card as proof they got the coronavirus vaccine. U.S. Health officials are warning of this very thing. Health officials say
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With more people than coronavirus vaccines available, third-party websites are offering help to individuals trying to schedule an appointment.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Adults ages 18-24 are becoming the next target for scams. The Better Business Bureau recently released a report that focused on the impact of scams in the wake of the pandemic and the demographic groups most at risk. According to the BBB, adults ages 18-24 reported the highest median losses ($150) and
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Illegal telemarketing calls and no-call violations was the number one complaint the Missouri Attorney General’s Office received in 2020. In 2020, 34,527 Missourians reported a no-call complaint to the office. Those complaints involved phone calls to Missouri residents by businesses or organizations soliciting the purchase of goods or services. Here are
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Better Business Bureau is advising people to not share their coronavirus vaccination card on social media. The BBB said it can increase your risk of identity theft and other scams. When posting the photo on social media scammers are able to see your full name, birthday and where you got your
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Internal Revenue Service is warning about a new wave of COVID-19 related scams regarding stimulus checks. The IRS says scammers are contacting people trying to get them to verify personal or financial information before issuing an economic impact payment. The IRS says it will not contact you to request any personal
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A second round of stimulus checks are getting sent to most Americans, and scammers are trying to monetize. The Better Business Bureau is getting reports of con artists who tell people they need to either pay for their stimulus checks or provide personal information to receive it. In some of the online
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) As coronavirus vaccines are distributed across the country, scammers are taking advantage of consumers eager for a vaccine. Cybersecurity agencies are warning consumers about a new scam that could involve individuals posing as health officials or doctors and offering to sell a coronavirus vaccine or to help consumers keep track of when
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) With the colder weather months here, more people will be spending time inside. Some might be looking at what options they have to slow the spread of COVID-19 in homes. One of those options might be an air purification system or machine. According to the EPA when used properly, air cleaners and
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) More and more people are buying puppies at an all-time high. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the demand for pets as people look for support during a time of loneliness. With this rising demand, pet scams have also increased significantly. In November of 2020, the Better Business Bureau reports 337 complaints
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) More people are expected to do their holiday shopping online because of the coronavirus pandemic, which means there’s an increased risk of falling for online scams. A common way scammers target people is they’ll use fake websites. According to comparitech, a tech consumer website, about 30 million new websites were registered so
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Holiday’s can be a stressful time and scammers are taking advantage of it. During this time of year, Ameren is reminding customers to be on the look out for utility scams. Ameren told ABC 17 News during the holidays and extreme weather, utility scams tend to be on the rise. Here are
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, scammers are looking for ways to trick you this holiday season. With the pandemic, many in-person events will likely be moving online and scammers are catching on to this trend. According to the Better Business Bureau scammers are creating phony copycat events that charge for
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri licensed nurses and acupuncturists are the newest target in a scam going around the state. The Missouri State Board of Nursing and Missouri Acupuncturist Advisory Committee are both warning about a scam claiming the person is being investigated and their licenses is in danger of being suspended. In this scam, the
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Big technology companies like Apple and Google have rolled out new technology alerting users if they’ve possibly been exposed to COVID-19. The technology isn’t available to everyone though, only some state’s have opted in to this feature. Missouri has not. In an email response from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Days before Amazon Prime Day, the Better Business Bureau is warning Amazon users about scammers trying to steal your personal information. In a news release, the BBB says the scammer will call you and if you answer a recorded message will play. The message claims there is a problem with Amazon account.
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