Tag Archives: Cell Scam

Tax Forms Delivery and Corrections Update/Reminder, Watch the Cyber Tricks and a Brilliant New Cell Spam Calling Method that ALMOST Got Us – They Figured Out How to Put a Fake Name as the Number … Friday

With a lot of questions this week on Tax forms, we thought it time to review estimated delivery dates AND take note of the first round of corrected 1099’s of March 3:

Timing of Available Tax Documentation

  • Delivery of 1099s: Currently, we expect the first wave of 1099s to begin posting online on January 21, 2022 with Advisor and client notifications going out shortly after. Estimated dates for the waves are below:
 Target Delivery Date*Details
Wave 1Close of business January 21, 2022No holdings subject to reallocation (ex. RICs, REITs)
Wave 2Close of business February 4, 2022Low risk for reallocation; income reallocations finalized through January 29th
Wave 3Close of business February 11, 2022Clients with finalized income reallocations received from January 30th through February 3rd
Wave 4Close of business February 11, 2022Remaining clients
  • Correction Cycles - Begins March 3, 2022 and occurring every 2 weeks through April 14, 2022

Do Not Fall for the Call Microsoft Computer Fraud

They are back, so BE CAREFUL… Within one week we have noted TWO fake Microsoft computer hacks…

Here is how it goes:

Upon turning your computer on you are told to call Microsoft to help “Fix” your ailing computer….

DO NOT BITE–

This from Microsoft Support

Avoid and report Microsoft technical support scams

Microsoft will never proactively reach out to you to provide unsolicited PC or technical support. If you receive a phone call claiming to be from Microsoft, or see a pop-up window on your PC with a fake warning message and a phone number to call and get your “issue” fixed, it’s better to be safe and not click any links or provide any personal information.

Never call the number provided in the error message. Real Microsoft error messages never include a phone number to call.

Brilliant Fake Cell Call

Ok, so we warned/lectured enough up top… this one ALMOST got yours truly….

Looked very similar to a tennis player parent in my contacts….

Say goodbye to the unknown numbers… looks like they figured out how to impose a fake name-

Ahh…today is a Friday and just a week ago with the frozen tundra…. looks to be almost 80 degrees here…

Enjoy!! Talk next week!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

  • Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
  • A Dallas Texas based fee only
  • Financial Planning Total Wealth
  • Management firm.
  • jkfinancialinc
  • street-cents

October 2021 Financial Planning and Capital Market Review – By John Kvale

Hello and Welcome to our October 2021 Financial Planning and Capital Market Update!

If you are too busy to read, feel free to listen as we describe our post and thoughts in friendly podcast audio format as well as Video!

Newbies –

We like to articulate our thoughts and review on a Monthly basis our Financial Planning Tips, Capital Markets and current events!

Hope you enjoy!

BREAK IN – HONORED BY D MAGAZINE NOMINATION

Important Disclosure

October 2021 Video

YouTube

Financial Planning Tip(s)

Cell Text Spam and Calls

With the handy, cell phone which is almost like carrying around a powerful computer, replacing our land lines, in this post we remind all to be very careful in which calls you answer and most importantly clicking on a hot link of a text you may have received on you cell… DO NOT BITE!

Here is an example of a very dangerous spam text – do not click on that hotlink as you will be directed to a bad place that may cause your cell harm…

Grant Williams Podcast with Sam Zell

A new found favorite way of continued learning and education, frequently while jogging or walking, in this post, a review of a fantastic hour long podcast with Sam Zell via the Grant Williams Podcast series…

Favorite Notes:

Staying Power is the name of the game… No surprises!

Real money by long term holdings, be patient.

Will you slow down?  People ask me that all the time…”Slow down from what…I like what I do,”

Capital Market Comments

Bonds, Interest Rate Headwind Reminders

In 2018 as interest rates smartly began rising, we reminded folks, those especially with more conservative allocations (larger allocations to bonds) that the immediate effect of higher interest rates are a slight headwind to bond portfolios. For the record, they are big headwinds to very long dated bond portfolios i.e. 30 years, which is why we stay away from such portfolios…

Fast forward to the beginning of the year and very recently, we felt the need to remind again here. The fantastic news is that with shorter dated portfolios as mentioned above, this headwind turns into money in our pockets in the form of higher income as rates again smartly rise on the expectation of greater economic growth prospects.

Have a Great Day, Talk to You at the End of November!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.

A Dallas Texas based fee only

Financial Planning Total Wealth

Management firm.

jkfinancialinc

street-cents

Cell Phone Spammer, Scammer Update…

Have you ever bought a car only to find out that after your purchase EVERYBODY seems to have your same car?

Being a bit nerdy (is that a word?) after writing the post a few back about recent cell phone scammers and phishing, it seems like it has surrounded us!

This from a Flight Magazine just after the aforementioned post!

Apps We Have Tested and a Comprehensive Resource (Humor here too)

After the splash scammer post, Donald the Brain, noted an app for extra help …

Of course…

“There’s an App for that!”

Here is the At&t App- Be careful upon install to only sign up for basic coverage unless you want to pay the extra monthly charge – our family has found the basic to be VERY helpful… and it’s free…

At&T Spam Blocker App

Verizon’s Call Block App – Not having this service we are not sure on its effectiveness or cost, but as direct competitors, likely very similar.

Verizon Spam Block APP

In an unsuccessful search for Sprint and other Apps we found this interesting comprehensive article from PC Magazine – in true irony form, this article has tons of pop up adds … so similar to unwanted calls (digressing again!) –

Per the article there is even a paid for App that will heckle the callers by using pre-recorded answers to waste their time…. not sure would go that far, but its available…each to their own.

Lastly, those wondering about the 11 year old and his no answer about hitting the link (last item in original post) the phone has not exploded and seems to work, but his number certainly has the most attention… Hilton alleged call just yesterday! (He answered but did not hit a button for response!)

We would recommend you carefully answer any texts/calls, as from our experience it let’s the other party know it’s a live number!

Grrrrrrrr

Have a Great “Updated Scammers” Day!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
jkfinancialinc
street-cents

 

 

Scammer, Spammer and Down Right Crooks Update – Funny Personal Experience

With last Friday’s promised preview of updated scammers/bad guy techniques, the collection of examples for this post was well underway…

When doing a post such as this, in order to get the images for the example, many devices are often used. Literally as an upload of a screen shot text was being readied for this article from my cell … (while in the back of a large auditorium that housed 100’s that were supposed to be listening to the format and rules of the National Tennis Tournament being attended – let’s call it multitasking rather than lack of attention – digressing) … the upload was interrupted by the following call, fortunately the quick screen shot worked …

There was a number that followed the call, but in the unlikely event it WAS NOT a scam/spammer the number was left out for privacy…

Very coincidental timing at best….

Break In-

As mentioned also late in Friday’s post a new cell data service was ordered last week to include free unlimited data – with a little research it was discovered this new service has an free Spam Risk incoming call notification – still coincidental but partial mystery solved- Digressing again….

Social Security Scam

This is a carefully cropped letter (to protect identity from the field) of a very concerning letter that was allegedly sent from the Social Security Administration…

In the body of the letter there was information concerning a pension that was inaccurate, and seven years old…

Trust us that the letter looked VERY real at first… upon further review, here is what we found:

  • Request for phone number was on the letter from recipeint
  • Request for multiple years of income confirmation and pension information
  • No phone number to call for further information * This is what really led us to believe it was fraud
  • Return address for information was much different from mailing address

The letter was four pages long and very believable even frightening! Doing a search on the address, there was a Social Security Office near the address, but NOT AT the actual address of the letter – WOW very cleaver!

It sounds obvious after reviewing the facts, but at initial glance one could have easily entered information which would have certainly been followed by a phone call asking for more information-

If you have ANY doubts, send us a copy for review, just as our long time client did- do not take ANY chances – Hat tip JH!

Institutions Text Scams

The following texts have been collected over the last few months sent to my family and seem to be accelerating in frequency… Don’t Bite

Fake from Chase:

Fake from Amex – we do not even have an Amex Card

Fake from Microsoft:

Fake from Hotmail :

Lastly, a deleted example to the 11 year old, who certainly does not have a Capital One Account that would be at issue – although he questioned if he did- and wanted balances… not kidding..

Upon discussion if he clicked the link in the text, a straight answer was never received- hopefully there will not be a follow up post to this one, on what exactly happens to your phone if you click on the link –

Needless to say, there is are new form of spams, scammers, and phishing going on out there.. these are all text examples just from our family over the last few months!

DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINK THAT YOU ARE NOT 100% CERTAIN IS LEGIT!

Not trying to be a downer on a Monday, just a protector of our data, and keeping our technology clean and virus free!

Have a Great “Be Careful Out There” (showing age here – anyone remember the show?) Day!

John A. Kvale CFA, CFP

Founder of J.K. Financial, Inc.
A Dallas Texas based fee only
Financial Planning Total Wealth
Management firm.
jkfinancialinc
street-cents