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The Learning Center

The Places Where the Scammers Might Also be Victims

When you think of scammers, you probably think of criminals – people who are happy to commit crimes if there’s money in it for them. But not every scammer wants to scam. Some of them are victims of human trafficking. They were snared, flown across the world, locked up, and forced to scam until they…

Online Sports Betting: Harmless Fun or Exploiting Fans?

You’ve almost certainly seen the ads somewhere. Make money from being a sports fan! Bet just a little and win a lot! Your first bets are risk-free! It’s a fun new way to be a fan! Since online sports betting was legalized, Americans have bet over half a trillion dollars on sports. But while the…

Fake Businesses on Google Maps May Lead You Into a Scam

Imagine this: You’re coming home late one night, exhausted and ready to fall into bed, and as you try to open your front door, the key breaks. You’re locked out. What do you do? If you’re like most people, you get out your phone, search for a 24-hour locksmith, choose one with a local address…

What is a Chatbot? Here are Some Basic Facts and Views.

Still, it’s clear that once explored and used, ordinary people discover how extremely useful, powerful, and different a chatbot is compared to anything else we’ve been working toward since personal computers invaded homes in the mid-1980s.

Why Using a VPN is More Important Than Ever When You’re Online

The VPN does one thing primarily and does it well. The main trick a VPN does when it’s on is to hide (or “mask”) your active IP address by assigning you a different one. On top of that, it takes your online connection from the network you’re on (whether at home or on public Wi-Fi) and reroutes your activity through a secure server and network.

What is ID.me? One Day, You Might Need to Know.

If a friend asked you, what is ID.me, would you be able to answer? You really should, because they—and you—might one day need to open an ID.me account. It would also help to know what it’s about, why it’s important, and, most of all, why you can trust it.

Job Opportunity Scams: Beware If You’re Looking for Work!

Getting a message from a recruiter when you’re looking for work seems like a good thing. But what if that recruiter isn’t real? Job opportunity scams are more sophisticated than ever. If you’re looking for work, you’re a prime target for fake recruiters, fake job listings, fake employment offers, and more. And it’s not just…

Bail Scams Rely on Fear – Protect Yourself with Facts

Few things trigger fear and anxiety as quickly as a phone call saying one of your loved ones has been arrested. But scammers’ most effective tactic is exploiting intense emotions. Bail scams try to trigger that reaction and convince you to pay before you think. But if you understand how these scams work, know how…

A Former Fraudster’s Tips for Protecting Your Personal Information in a Connected World

Technology is evolving so fast and is ever increasingly integrated into our world. It’s becoming less and less effective for criminals to just attack tech. So they’ve found a new way in – through human nature. Fraudsters manipulate the psychology of trust to trick us into helping them steal from us. And data is crucial…

Awareness and Safety Go Hand-in-Hand: Tips to Protect Yourself

Scams are often (though not always) technology-based, and physical danger happens in the physical world. But both types of threats often begin in the same way – with someone testing your awareness and willingness to stop and think. Awareness and safety go together, online and in the real world. If you’re more aware and prepared…

We Created EasyPrey.com Scam Help Page to Help You

WhatIsMyIPAddress.com and our sister website, EasyPrey.com, focus on providing content and links to information and resources for scam help. Our goal is to increase your awareness and education about scams and fraud, and to help you stay safe.

EasyPrey.com Resources for Scam Victims

We’ve compiled a list of resources for all victims (and near victims) of scams, fraud, and identity theft. Amazon.com: Report a Scam Amazon takes fraud and scams seriously and allows consumers to report problems on its website. amazon.com/reportascam AARP: Fraud Watch Helpline This is a free resource for AARP members and nonmembers alike. Trained fraud…

The BBB Scam Resources Are There to Help You!

The Better Business Bureau is on YOUR side, helping consumers with real-time scam tracking, which you can explore whenever you want. More than that, they offer everyone exclusive, BBB Scam resources.

Amazon Scams Come in All Shapes and Sizes. Are You Prepared?

Tell Amazon ASAP if you’re a victim of a delivery scam. Amazon takes fraud and scams quite seriously and offers a range of services on its website to help you stay safe. They have a page dedicated to protecting their customers from scams.

How Companies are Collecting, Tracking, and Selling Your Personal Information

The modern world comes with many technological and digital conveniences. But unfortunately, many of them come with a hidden cost: Your personal information. It can feel harmless in the moment to give out simple pieces of information, but companies can use that to build a detailed profile that they can then exploit – or sell.…

What Is a Filter Bubble? How Algorithms Shape What You See Online

When you and your friend in another city search for the exact same thing on Google, you very likely get different results. Your Instagram feed probably looks nothing like your friend’s either, despite both of you following many of the same accounts and sharing similar interests. If you ask an AI chatbot a question, you’ll…

AI Is Changing Privacy Laws–Here’s What You Need to Know

AI is everywhere. Even if you’re not logging into ChatGPT every day, everything you do on the internet is touched by AI. That may look like reading content written by an LLM, asking for help from an AI customer service representative, or scrolling through a social media platform with an algorithm that is heavily curated…

Browser Security Settings Make a Difference to Online Safety

If you’re getting online, you’re using a browser. Whether you’re a Firefox fan, a Chrome devotee, or are happy with whatever came default on your device, your browser affects your online experience. And it also affects your safety and security while you’re online. All browsers have default settings, and they may not necessarily be what…

Public IP vs. Private IP Address: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

Have you ever looked up your IP address on a tool like WhatIsMyIPAddress.com’s tool and noticed what looks like a discrepancy? You may notice that the lookup tool says one IP address when you check on your phone, but you see another when you look at your router settings.  There’s a reason for that, and…

What Is an IP Address and What Information Does an IP Address Reveal?

Every time you go online, you leave a trail, and your IP address is one of the most savory breadcrumbs. It won’t expose your deepest secrets, but it can reveal your location, your internet provider, and enough about your habits to make you a target. This isn’t a scare piece. It’s a practical look at…

Investment Fraud: When Investing Losses Aren’t Just from Risk

If you invest money anywhere, you hopefully know that investing comes with inherent risk. But not every investing loss happens because you made a bad decision or something happened in the market. Sometimes, you lose money because you made an investment you didn’t understand, you were pushed to invest in something that wasn’t a good…

How to Stay at an Airbnb Without Compromising Your Privacy or Safety

You found it. The perfect charming A-frame tucked into the mountains, wood-burning fireplace, panoramic windows, and a hot tub perched on the redwood deck. You booked it in about 30 seconds flat. What you probably didn’t think about in those 30 seconds: the Wi-Fi password is taped to the fridge, the network is named after…

This Story of Elder Financial Abuse Reveals Warning Signs that Get Overlooked

Not all elder financial abuse stories start with a scam, or even an obvious problem. A friendly face and small decisions can spiral into something much more sinister. And if you don’t know what to look for, it’s easy to overlook the warning signs and let a predator take everything from vulnerable people. See Elder…

Social Media Hacking Isn’t Random, It’s Data-Driven

You don’t have to click a malicious link to become a target. Sometimes, all it takes is posting online.  Most people think of hacking as a technical crime, like someone breaking through firewalls, deploying malware, or cracking passwords. But a growing number of cyberattacks begin long before any of that, with a criminal quietly studying…

Scams Targeting Seniors Aren’t Going Away Soon.

So, what makes scammers an appealing target group for cyber criminals? Here’s what the consensus on that is: The older generation tends to be friendly and more trustworthy. Many 75 and older become isolated and long for connection. A good majority of seniors have accumulated wealth through investments, real estate, pensions, and insurance benefits.