No one is immune to being targeted by phishing attacks. In this week’s scam, cybercriminals targeted candidates in a local election. During any election season, many candidates post information about themselves online or on social media sites. Scammers can use this information to craft targeted attacks on the candidates. In the specific attacks mentioned below, the scammers pretended to be another election candidate. This type of attack is known as Business Email Compromise (BEC).
In one of the attacks, the scammers emailed an election candidate. In the email, they impersonated someone else who was also running for election. The scammers explained that they needed the victim to purchase $500 in Apple gift cards and send them via email. When this didn’t work, the scammers later sent a separate email that appeared to come from DocuSign. This email contained an attachment that directed the victim to a fake login screen that prompted them to enter their user credentials in order to continue. If the victim had fallen for either of these scams, the scammers would have been able to steal both money and login credentials from the victim.
Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to a BEC scam:
- Be wary of any unsolicited emails or calls asking you to buy gift cards or transfer money, even if they appear to be from someone you know. Verify the request through another channel before acting.
- Be extra vigilant during high-profile events like elections when scammers may increase phishing attempts.
- Remember, the information that you post online is publicly available for anyone to see. Scammers can use this information to target you with more realistic phishing attacks.
Amy Anderson joined the ILG Financial team in 2023 as the client relations coordinator. Her responsibilities include scheduling of appointments, annual check-up notifications, and annuity and required minimum distribution assistance. She is a graduate of Harding University with a degree in Computer Information Systems. Amy and her husband have two children and she enjoys reading, crocheting, music and spending time with her family.
Chase Lopez joined the ILG Financial team in 2020 as an advisor. Chase is a 2016 James Madison University graduate with a degree in management. Chase has been trained under the tutelage of Dave Lopez, who is not only the founder and managing member of ILG Financial, but also is Chase’s uncle and godfather. He also enjoys working alongside his cousin, Megan, who is Dave’s daughter. Chase, as a fiduciary, believes in putting his clients interests first, and building out plans for his clients where they can have a happy and fruitful retirement. He married his beautiful wife in February 2022 and both use most of their free time chasing around their little pup, Aurora.
Jessica Carson joined the ILG Financial team in 2018 as an agent. Jessica and her husband have four children, two dogs, 3 barn cats, 5 chickens, and three parakeets. She indeed loves her children and pets! When not at work, Jessica enjoys playing the piano and cello as well as traveling and spending time outside with her family, hiking, fishing, and boating.
Terri Center joined the ILG Financial team in 2019 as client services manager. She handles client records, application processing, and gathering information to provide a professional and friendly experience with all of our clients. Terri is a graduate of Oakland University. She is married and has two children. She enjoys hiking, family time, and puzzle challenging video games. She also likes to share her creativity in her canvas paintings and sewing projects.
Megan Jones joined the ILG Financial team in 2020 as marketing director. Megan and her husband live in Fredericksburg, VA with their German Short Haired Pointer, Gus. Megan is a graduate of Longwood University and holds a degree in communications. Megan is the oldest of Dave Lopez’s three children and not only enjoys working alongside her father, but also with her cousin, Chase, who joined the ILG Financial team in 2020 as an advisor. When not at work, Megan enjoys sitting on the back porch with family and friends enjoying food and music.