When it comes to scams, “If you see something. Say something.”
That’s what the North Carolina Department of Public Safety encourages citizens to do, said department Secretary Eddie M. Buffaloe Jr. at a town hall called Bringing the Capital to the Constituents last week sponsored by Representative Rodney Pierce at American Legion Post 38.
Buffaloe, a Potecasi native appointed to the secretary post by former Governor Roy Cooper and reappointed by Josh Stein, said, “What we encourage the citizens to do — number one — is listen to the conversation, be attentive to the conversation, but before you even send money ask the questions. See something, say something and if it’s something you haven’t been doing or accustomed to in the past it’s probably a scam so don’t even adhere to it, don’t even agree to their terms or conditions in that particular call.”
The state department, Buffaloe said, supports local law enforcement for any resources they may need — “Whether it’s tracking or any other technical resources. Messaging is important on a local level as well as a state level.”
On the issue of identity theft, Buffaloe said, addressing a question from an audience member, “For one, that smartphone is not very smart so stop trusting your cell phone.”
The second thing is to use two-factor authentication. “Put it on everything you do electronically.If you don’t have two-factor identification, I am pleading. If you do anything today, make sure you have two-factor authentication.”
This is due to the way “that companies are just giving data away and the way the nation’s threat factors are securing or getting data illegally,” he said. “Once you put your number in these apps when you go online and you order from Amazon or you Google it and you’re looking for a nice blazer … the next thing you know on your phone or your Facebook … all these blazers start popping up some ads that you didn’t even look at.”
That, Buffaloe said, is artificial intelligence. “They’re taking what you’re putting in that smartphone and they’re capturing that data because this is what you like.”
AI is triggering what a consumer likes. “As they see what you like they throw little fish hooks called phishing out there to see if you’re going to grab onto some malicious website. The next thing you know you can get two of those blazers for free. If you sign up and give them your email and phone number … and hit submit — the next thing you know your phone turns into Chinese writing and you’ve got a virus on it and you wonder what happened.”
From there calls could start about the warranty on your car or someone wanting to buy your house. “That two-factor authentication is important,” he said. “If you don’t know what to do just use your smartphone and search or do like my mom does and just go to Belk once a week.”
Joking aside, he said, “We’ve got to go back to basics because we’ve been so dependent on smartphones and we’ve become more of a latchkey society in ordering from Amazon and fast purchases.”
