With the heat of summer, don’t get burned by a scam
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Food for Thought
Judge of Probate Richard Dean
I remember hearing many old wives’ tales about the Dog Days of Summer. With the recent climb in our temperatures, I thought about some of those tales. My curiosity forced me to do a little research.
You know we are experiencing the hottest and most humid days of the year. These are the Dog Days of Summer. As Alabamians, we are aware the heat and humidity can easily run well into September.
Encyclopedia Britannica agrees and extends the period of dog days into early September. However, this year, the Dog Days of Summer officially began on July 3 and ended on August 11.
If that is the case, how can we have an “official” start and end date? Where did the term “Dog Days of Summer” originate?
It has nothing to do with dogs. It has to do with the stars and began with the early Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. The star Sirius (dog star) is part of the constellation Canis Major (the Greater Dog). In 2026, the conjunction of Sirius and the sun occurred on July 23. The Dog Days of Summer refers to the 20 days before and after that conjunction. During this period, Sirius and the sun rise and set at the same times.
The ancient Egyptians’ name for Sirius was Southis. Since Sirius’ appearance marked the flood season of the Nile, the Egyptians thought it caused the floods. The ancient Romans believed that Sirius added its heat to the sun, and that was why it was so hot during that time. The ancient Greeks’ name for Sirius was Seirios which meant “glowing” or “scorcher.” An appropriate term.
These early explanations amaze me, and I can see the logic behind earlier cultures’ rationale. However, we know the heat during this time really isn’t related to Sirius rising and setting with the sun. The conjunction with the sun is coincidental with the Earth’s tilt causing the sun’s rays to hit the Earth’s surface more directly for a longer period of the day. That means longer, hotter days for us.
Something that can cause you to get even hotter than the Dog Days is being hit by one of the many, and ever-increasing, scams.
Probate office personnel, especially in election years, attend hours of cyber security training. We learn about new threats, terminology and how cyber criminals increasingly attempt to steal data, disrupt operations and defraud funds from citizens.
We constantly hear from Coosa County residents about something they have received in the mail, email, text message, or other means where perpetrators are attempting to swindle them. If you receive anything demanding money, threatening foreclosure on your property, wanting you to pay a toll (especially in a state you haven’t visited), help a relative or friend with an emergency by sending funds via payment apps such as Venmo, gift cards, bitcoins, wire transfers, or any of the many ways to transfer funds – always verify the legitimacy.
Often a person (target) will be contacted by what appears to be an organization the target has a relationship with. For example, it could be the target’s bank, local utility, sheriff’s office, police department, family member, friend, Social Security Administration, Medicare, insurance company, or even a business from where the target has recently ordered something.
With the increased use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cyber scanning, our most private areas are being invaded. From cyber monitoring of internet search results, online banking, Alexa, Siri, unsecured home/business camera systems, smart phones, smart TVs, smart home devices (including thermostats), facial recognition software, and photos stored on unsecured devices; to name a few, our private lives have become very public to unsavory actors.
Even family videos and pictures placed on Facebook or unsecured in the cloud can be lifted and, especially with AI, used to generate convincing video and/or cell phone communications that look and sound like a family member or friend. Even text messaging and email styles can be mimicked to use phraseology/word choices the target associates with specific acquaintances.
If you receive any communication pretending to be from a familiar source, verify it. Never click a link or call a number listed in the suspected scam document/message. Always call a number you know goes directly to the source or send an email directly to someone you know in the organization where the message originated.
Be leery of anything indicating there is a problem, a prize, or even that your computer is infected. If there is a sense of urgency that pressures you to act immediately, slow down and think about it. If you are directed to use a specific payment method, beware.
The following story sounds far fetched. I know a lady who received a text from her pastor requesting her to get specific gift cards for him so he could help some women with cancer. Ironically, she and the pastor had recently discussed people with cancer.
The text arrived on her phone while she was in the checkout line at Walmart, near the gift cards. The text even used words and phrases the pastor normally used. It looked legitimate. A flag arose in her mind. Why did the pastor want a specific type gift card? Why did he want her to purchase them and immediately send the card numbers and codes to a different phone number?
She said she even showed the message to the teller and made the comment, “I wonder if this is a scam.” However, she was in a rush, and the message had an urgency. She was at the counter. She purchased the cards. Thank goodness, she decided to call the pastor before she sent the cards’ account numbers and codes.
She almost fell for the bait. Instead of being completely scammed – she now has gift cards she is using to purchase things for herself.
Finally; for unwanted calls, emails, or text messages; never respond with “STOP.” If it is a text or call, you confirm it is a good phone number. If it is an email, you confirm it is an active email address. Scammers share and sell confirmed listings with other scammers.
Report and delete suspicious text messages using your phone’s report junk option. You can also forward text messages to 7726 (SPAM) to alert your service carrier to help them shut down scammers. To do this, open the text, but DO NOT click on any links. Simply hold down on the message (may have to tap on “More”) and then select the “Forward” option. When the forward screen appears, type 7726 in the “To” field. The cell carriers’ security departments will use the text to analyze the source and stop senders of malicious texts. Press “Send.”
To report emails, right click on the email, go to “Report,” then click “Report Phishing” or “Report Junk.”
To report calls where you haven’t lost funds, go to the DoNotCall.gov website. If you lost funds, notify the Federal Trade Commission (ReportFraud.ftc.gov).
Don’t get burned by a scam. Beware. Take action to protect yourself and your records. Until next month: Try to stay cool, stay safe, and God bless.
