ROCKFORD, Ill. – A local business, Honquest Family Funeral Homes, found itself at the center of a modern-day scam, highlighting the ever-present need for vigilance against identity theft. Tim Honquest, owner of Honquest Family Funeral Homes, experienced firsthand a brushing scam designed to compromise personal information.
Last Saturday began like any other for Honquest as he checked the business mailbox. Amongst the usual correspondence was an unexpected package addressed to him at his work. Initially mistaking it for an employee’s Amazon order, Honquest set it aside. “Sometimes, my employees order things on Amazon. So, I didn’t know what this was,” Honquest explained. “I waited until Monday until my employees came in to ask who ordered this… No one ordered it.”
Curiosity piqued, Honquest opened the package to discover a wireless earpiece. This device, he soon learned, was designed to sync with a smartphone, a process facilitated by a QR code included in the packaging. “My employees are tech-ish and they said, ‘Don’t do that,’” Honquest recounted, heeding their advice against scanning the unknown code.
The situation took a concerning turn when the earpiece activated without being prompted. “When we pulled the device out of the box, all of a sudden that green and red light turned on and we didn’t know if it started recording us or what it started doing,” Honquest stated, describing the unsettling moment. Concerned about potential eavesdropping or data theft, Honquest acted quickly, taking the device outside and destroying it with a hammer, ensuring any potential threat was neutralized.
This incident, as explained by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is a variation of a brushing scam. These scams rely on tricking individuals into scanning QR codes, which can then lead to the theft of personal data. Dennis Horton from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) sheds light on how scammers target their victims, noting that information shared online is often the entry point. “That’s one of the reasons why we recommend you use as little information about yourself, your address, your phone number, certainly your social security number,” Horton advises. “None of that information should be on your online activity.”
Adding another layer to the warning, Horton cautioned against attempting to contact any return address listed on suspicious packages. Doing so, or even looking up the address online, can further expose your information to malicious actors.
While Honquest has since upgraded his phone with enhanced security features to bolster his personal data protection, his primary concern shifted to community awareness. He emphasizes the importance of public vigilance, urging everyone to be cautious: “If anyone gets a strange package, don’t open and don’t scan anything because then they got you.”
Echoing this sentiment, the BBB recommends proactive steps for anyone receiving unsolicited packages. Changing passwords and reviewing credit reports are crucial actions to take immediately, as it’s impossible to know the extent of information scammers may have already accessed.
To report package scams and similar incidents, individuals are encouraged to contact the Federal Trade Commission at 877-382-4357 or reach out to their local Postal Inspection Service office. Honquest Family Funeral Home’s experience serves as a timely reminder to remain vigilant and informed in the face of evolving scam tactics.
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