rocket domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /mnt/data/vhosts/casite-1427374.cloudaccess.net/httpdocs/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114Imagine you\u2019re going about your day when suddenly you receive a text from the CEO. The head of the company is asking for your help. They\u2019re out doing customer visits and someone else dropped the ball in providing gift cards. The CEO needs you to buy six $200 gift cards and text the information right away.<\/p>
The message sender promises to reimburse you before the end of the day. Oh, and by the way, you won\u2019t be able to reach them by phone for the next two hours because they\u2019ll be in meetings. One last thing, this is a high priority. They need those gift cards urgently.<\/p>
Would this kind of request make you pause and wonder? Or would you quickly pull out your credit card to do as the message asked?<\/p>
A surprising number of employees fall for this gift card scam. There are also many variations. Such as your boss being stuck without gas or some other dire situation that only you can help with.<\/p>
This scam can come by text message or via email. What happens is that the unsuspecting employee buys the gift cards. They then send the numbers back. They find out later that the real company CEO wasn\u2019t the one that contacted them. It was a phishing scammer.<\/p>
The employee is out the cash.<\/p>
Without proper training, 32.4% of <\/a>employees are prone to fall for a phishing scam.<\/em><\/strong><\/p> Though the circumstances may be odd, many employees fall for this gift card scam. Hackers use social engineering tactics. They manipulate emotions to get the employee to follow through on the request.<\/p> Some of these social engineering tactics illicit the following:<\/p> The scam\u2019s message is also crafted in a way to get the employee to act without thinking or checking. It includes a sense of urgency. The CEO needs the gift card details right away. Also, the message notes that the CEO will be out of touch for the next few hours. This decreases the chance the employee will try to contact the real CEO to check the validity of the text.<\/p> Variations of this scam are prevalent and can lead to significant financial losses. A company isn\u2019t responsible if an employee falls for a scam and purchases gift cards with their own money.<\/p> In one example<\/a>, a woman from Palos Hills, Illinois lost over $6,000. This was after getting an email request from who she thought was her company\u2019s CEO.<\/p> The woman received an email purporting to be from her boss and company CEO. It stated that her boss wanted to send gift cards to some selected staff that had gone above and beyond.<\/p> The email ended with \u201cCan you help me purchase some gift cards today?\u201d The boss had a reputation for being great to employees, so the email did not seem out of character.<\/p> The woman bought the requested gift cards from Target and Best Buy. Then she got another request asking to send a photo of the cards. Again, the wording in the message was very believable and non-threatening. It simply stated, \u201cCan you take a picture, I\u2019m putting this all on a spreadsheet.\u201d<\/p> The woman ended up purchasing over $6,500 in gift cards that the scammer then stole. When she saw her boss a little while later, her boss knew nothing about the gift card request. The woman realized she was the victim of a scam.<\/p> <\/p> Despite what a message might say about being unreachable, check in person or by phone anyhow. If you receive any unusual requests or one relating to money, verify it. Contact the person through other means to make sure it’s legitimate.<\/p> Scammers often try to get victims to act before they have time to think. Just a few minutes of sitting back and looking at a message objectively is often all that\u2019s needed to realize it\u2019s a scam. Don\u2019t react emotionally, instead ask if this seems real or is it out of the ordinary.<\/p> Ask a colleague, or better yet, your company\u2019s IT service provider, to take look at the message. Getting a second opinion keeps you from reacting right away. It can save you from making a costly judgment error.<\/p> Phishing keeps getting more sophisticated all the time. Make sure your employee awareness training is up to date. Give us a call today to schedule a training session to shore up your team\u2019s defenses.<\/p> <\/p>Why Do Employees Fall for Phishing Scams?<\/h3>
Illinois Woman Scammed Out of More Than $6,000 from a Fake CEO Email<\/h3>
Tips for Avoiding Costly Phishing Scams<\/h2>
Always Double Check Unusual Requests<\/h3>
Don\u2019t React Emotionally<\/h3>
Get a Second Opinion<\/h3>
Need Help with Employee Phishing Awareness Training?<\/h2>