In recent years, Netflix has cost under $5 when paying with Turkish Lira, which is far less than the $15 when paying in USD. However, earlier this month Netflix increased rates from 180 TL ($5.45) to 230TL ($6.96), so this may be changing. I suspect the lower rates in Turkey largely relates to the high inflation. Year over year inflation is currently 70% to 90%, depending on measure.
1 Like
I didn’t know one had a choice of what currency to pay in.
Is this just a bit, um, scammy?
3 Likes
Just sounds like a loophole to me!
I got a text message earlier today from some number that a USPS package had an address problem and I needed to confirm my address. I actually am expecting a package from USPS so without too much thinking I clicked on the link on my phone which led to a page to fill in my correct address but didn’t have any info about the package such as a sender name or tracking number. And the page wasn’t at usps.com At which point I started to think what-the-heck and closed the page. I just hope visiting a page doesn’t load stuff onto my phone…
3 Likes
Watch out. There’s the one I fell for. I was doing 2 things at once and was also expecting a package. Careless of me
Well, this is rather frightening. Be careful out there, folks. It’s a minefield.
1 Like
Yes, it’s scary that the guy got scammed when he logged into his investment account site! I emailed my dad and a couple of other people, warning them to stay vigilant. Again, that’s why DH and I have a rule that we NEVER react to any contact regarding a “problem.” We disengage and call the institution directly.
You do have to be careful getting contact info off the internet. I googled “QuickBooks” one time and called the first number that came up. Oops. It turned out to be a scammer. I paid a good bit for “support” before realizing it was a scam. CapitalOne reversed the charge for me, at least.
5 Likes
My mom went to a “Rule for the Internet” class for seniors and it really saved her and alot of people. Things like if your bank or anyone calls you about a problem, always hang up and call back the institution…never click on a link in an email from amazon or netflix…go to your account and see what’s up…have an identification “safe” word for family members. So if they get a call from their grandchildren asking for help they ask for that. It’s actually more effective and easier for many elderly people to implement than telling them to hang up on a call from a distraught sounding “grandchild”.
3 Likes
@maya54 : Where did she find this class?? I’d love for my DH to take it. He’s like a babe in the woods.
1 Like
At a friend’s independent living community. It was a series by a resident who was a retired internet security guy.
1 Like
I keep getting these ridiculous threatening texts saying I haven’t done something about a cloud account. It’s garbage. They just keep finding new numbers to text with and I block them too.
2 Likes
I don’t work on Tuesdays and just got a text that my work email was hacked - apparently I sent our IT vendor an invoice. And an invoice request to a Marriott that HR was copied on, but she missed that one because she thought I was looking for AMEX backup but emailed the wrong hotel since we’ve been in contact with so many for our end of the year event! IT is cleaning my system and changing all my passwords…without me. 
3 Likes
August AARP mag had a scary article about SIM swap. I don’t find it online, but there is another article about it.
AARP quote - “How it works: Fraudsters start by obtaining personal identifying information about their vitctims, often buying it online from other criminals. They use this stolen information to impersonate their victims, convincing a cellphone company to reassign a victim’s phone number to te SIM card in te criminal’s phoe. The scammers then break into the victim’s online financial accounts - typicall loggin in with stolen username and passwords. They intercept security codes sent to the victim’s cellphone number via text or call. They then reset passwords to lock victims out.”.
It says there are ways to ask phone carrier to freeze your phone number so a secret password or PIN needed prior to changes. I may look into that for Verizon.
1 Like
Verizon now offers this protection. Login to your account, click on Devices, Device Management, then Number Lock. This will help prevent those types of attacks.
6 Likes
I don’t keep any financial info on my phone. I never access my bank, investments, or credit cards from my phone.
1 Like
Even if you don’t use your phone to access financial accounts, you could still be vulnerable to a SIM card attack. Whey they swap your SIM, they’re taking over your phone number, and using your number on a different physical phone. If you have online banking accounts (even ones that are only accessed by your home computer) they will try to login to those using stolen passwords, or doing a “forgot password” and get the two-factor authorization codes texted to your phone number, which now belongs to a phone in their possession! REALLY scary!!! If your cell phone provider offers protection against SIM card attacks, set it up
5 Likes
Cool. Wonder if AT&T offers that . Anyone know?
Thanks for this! But I did check our Verizon app, and ours was already turned on. Hopefully cell carriers do this as a default setting? I would hope so
It was not turned on for us (but I just did, thanks @dramakid2!). So it doesn’t seem to be the default.
1 Like