scam alert Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Scam alert: Beware the ‘You’ll get a second one free scam’

Posted on June 13, 2026

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I’m sure you’ve seen those commercials on TV where an overly excited (and extremely well paid) pitchman extols the virtues of a great new widget.

You know, the one that’s guaranteed to make your life better “or we’ll give you your money back!“?

Whether it’s the awesome “liquid rubber in a can”, the amazing “twist-o-matic kitchen utensil” or some other “this widget will so change your life” thingy, the pitches are usually pretty much the same: [Read more…]

Scam alert: Don’t fall for this dangerous virus notification scam

Posted on June 9, 2024

Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter

As you probably already know, scams and hoaxes are everywhere these days, and some of them are quite believable and compelling.

It’s very easy to fall for some of these scams because they mimic actions that are taken by legitimate programs and online services.

One of the most dangerous scams that’s making the rounds right now is the insidious “Your computer has a virus!” scam. There are several variations of this scam, but they typically work something like this… [Read more…]

Scam alert: Beware this dangerous fake Windows security alert

Posted on June 14, 2023

Well, it’s another day, and yet another dangerous recurring scam is rearing its ugly head yet again.

This scam first made its appearance way back in 2016 and then it quickly went into hiding. Now it’s back.

Unfortunately, this exploit is extremely easy to fall for because it looks almost exactly like the real Microsoft Windows error messages that we’re used to seeing from time to time. [Read more…]

Scam alert: Are any of these apps on your phone or tablet? If so they could be stealing your money!

Posted on April 10, 2020

By now you’re probably familiar with the terms malware and freeware, but now there’s a new term you need to be aware of: Fleeceware

That’s the name security company Sophos has assigned to a new class of malicious mobile apps.

These malicious “fleeceware” apps list themselves as “Free With In-App Purchases” on the app store’s download page.

The problem is they create a fraudulent subscription and start charging you a weekly, monthly or quarterly fee soon after you install them.

Here’s a list of known fleeceware apps that are actively stealing money from unsuspecting users: [Read more…]