March 31, 2024
Sometimes it feels like scams are as numerous as the stars in the sky. One rental store employee was well aware of the dangers of scammers. He did his best to remain vigilant. One day, however, he received an email from a vendor indicating payments were due with included invoices. He didn’t think twice and paid the bills right away.
A month or so later, the vendor reached out saying payment was past due. It was then the rental store employee realized he had been had. An unknown entity had sent an email that looked like it was from the vendor and then used that to redirect a payment to themselves. The rental store employees tried to undo what had been done but were not successful. They filed a claim with their insurance company to see if there was any coverage for the loss. The claim will be reviewed for payment according to the policy language.
Sometimes even the most vigilant fall prey. Whether a scammer has hacked a trusted contact’s email account, or they are using tools to make their email look like it came from the trusted contact, the end result is an attack that is hard to notice. Do your best to reduce your risk. Be careful when provided with new links and new website addresses. Contact your vendor by other means to confirm. Be sure the website is secure before providing any new info.
To learn more about how to avoid scams and scammers, click here.
This item, provided by ARA Insurance, Overland Park, Kan., contains safety tips and is intended to help readers better understand and manage risk. For more safety and risk management information, customers of ARA Insurance can log on to ReSource. Access is free, so if you haven’t signed up yet, contact your agent or call 800-821-6580.
