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Ooohhh…this scam almost got me

Carl Setzer1 Comment
scam alert letting text on black background

I just got this email a few minutes ago, ostensibly from RyanAir:

Man, this one looks pretty legitimate. The things that caught my attention? #1, I haven’t booked any travel with RyanAir.

#2, the email is one I haven’t used in ages, but it is set to auto-forward to me main one. But it’s not one I would’ve used. Perhaps I used it in the past with RyanAir? Nope. Never flown with them.

But what if, maybe, just maybe, it was someone else, some other Carl Setzer, who accidently used this email that was off in some weird capacity. Hmmm…

Oh, well if someone made a mistake, I should click on this link, right? Be nice and help a chap out, right? Knowing how many people want to be nice, I opt to hover over this link, which leads me to the big ol’ red flag

Check out THIS url:

Yep, my friends: classic phishing!

Now, you don’t need to dig around like I did. I did so mostly for the academic exercise. My first impulse was to mark this as phishing immediately, but I just was too curious.

For most folks, just mark as spam and ignore these things. Do NOT click on any of the links!

So, the world of spams & scams is evolving. Be aware and be safe, my friends!

Recommended Reading: In search of kindness by Richard Branson

Carl Setzer
Richard Branson and Eve

Richard Branson is a leader I’ve looked up to for years. And his recent blog post adds to that:

In search of kindness – Richard Branson

I deeply value the idea of “look for the best in people”. And how that leads into “…embrace failure as essential to our journey…”. If you want people to push boundaries, to innovate, you need to accept that failure will come of it. Build processes that maximize the learnings from that. Then move on.

One idea I’ve held for years is simply “it’s more powerful to build people up than to tear them down”. This mindset doesn’t seem to be highly valued right now, but I think that it holds true. And it is how I lead.

Ah, Yes…Another Scam

Carl Setzer
scam alert letting text on black background

I posted this article to Facebook last week. My son let me know he received one that day. And I won this lottery today!

This one is text based. Watch for these E-Z Pass texts that state you have an unpaid toll. Well, it’s fraudulent. As always, DO NOT CLICK THE LINK! Report it as a scam or junk text, then delete it.

Oh, and it’s more than E-Z Pass, but also SunPass, Peach Pass, EZDriveMA…and I’m sure others. And I expect this list will expand as the scammers find other passes to spoof.

I expect this one will get larger before it fades into the next scam.

Be safe my friends!

A morning meditation for you, my friends

Carl Setzer

I have plenty of moments when I don’t trust my gut. When my heart screams out, but I don’t believe that it can be right. I’m working on that, though.

I deeply value the arts, and have encouraged many to pursue that path. Even when it’s likely they’ll not attain wealth and privilege. So, this post sings to me.

So, I pray you find your place. Find the beautiful place within yourself. And share it boldly.

Early morning thoughts

Carl Setzer

I’m wondering at what my path forward looks like. I love technology, in all it’s variety, and blended in insanity. Yet I adore people, too. Helping guide folks, especially in terms of projects. Helping organize people into effective teams, to see the value each of us offer, and to feel the wonderful sensation of meeting goals. That’s delightful to me.

I’ve been told many times over the years that I’d be great as a manager. I wonder, though, as my values don’t align with the current “presentation” of the successful manager. I stand against the idea of people/teams simply being consumables to extract the most value from before they’re discarded.

So, I sit and ponder when I should be sleeping. It is the Way, I guess.

An uptick in Facebook & Instagram Spam Messages

Carl Setzer1 Comment
scam alert letting text on black background

Last June I wrote about a scam running through my Facebook accounts. Well, I’ve now seen this a few times over the months. However, starting overnight last night, several of the pages I managed have been inundated with the message. I think I’m up to 7 or 8 on one page alone.

Here’s a screenshot of the message:

Meta Scam message: We have detected that a Facebook page associated with your Instagram account may be violating Meta policies.

Ultimately, it’s a phishing scam. If you click on the link, it’ll either ask you for your credentials or download malware…or both. Dear friends, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK!!!!

Part of me takes delight in reporting these…people…for spam and getting their accounts blocked. However, in the end, it’s just a game of whack-a-mole. Clearly, they are able to create new accounts as fast as they get deleted. A part of me wants to kick these folks in the gonads.

Anyway, I wanted share this ASAP and I’m sure there are some people alarmed and, thus, more likely to click on the link. Please be safe out there in cyberspace!

Some thoughts on community

Carl Setzer2 Comments
Ubuntu

I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of community lately during this time where we celebrate avarice and cruelty. Years ago, I discovered Steven Covey’s “7 Habits”, and one of his cornerstone principles is “interdependence”. This idea that we need each other, that our ideal state is working together, the over-used idea of “synergy”. That the whole collective is greater than the sum of the parts. It deeply resonated with me and it’s a concept I hold tightly to.

A related notion: Ubuntu. No, not the Linux variant, but the African concept of the criticalness of community. It roughly translates to “I am because you are”. This feels a lot like the notion of “Namaste”, or “I see you”.

Anyway, a friend of mine wrote a post where she explores Ubuntu. I thought she did such a fine job that I thought I’d share with you: “Big thoughts ep. 13: Ubuntu“. Enjoy!