Invisible Thieves: Online Scams and Digital Dangers

Andrea Coello

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. What are pop-up ads? Do you click on them or avoid them? Explain.
2. What is an attachment to an email? What is a computer virus? Have you ever had one? What happened?
3. As you read, notice the words and phrases meticulously, verify, up front, and distinct markings. If you don’t know what they mean, use the context to figure it out.

Nobody Is Safe from Scammers
Technology brings many opportunities, including new ways for people to steal. It turns out, nobody is safe from scammers! Here are three examples from my own life.

My Parents Missed a Small Detail
When I was a kid, I remember watching my parents use the internet for their retail business that sold spare parts for cars. They were very careful. They always wrote an email to the company and asked about their products and services. My father meticulously looked for errors in each piece of information provided by the company’s representative. Sometimes, he discovered that the company was fake. Also, my parents looked at the “About Us” section of their website and called them to verify they were real.

One day, they seemed worried. My father received an email from a provider in Turkey. This provider asked for half of the payment up front. My father did not notice a small change in the company’s email address. They used a “0” (zero) instead of an “O” (letter). As a result, my parents sent their money to a different bank account.

When my father tried to contact them again, they never answered. We were sad and disappointed about how some bad people could use the internet to steal from hardworking people.

I Bought a Phone from a Pop-Up Ad
In a similar experience, I was shopping online for a cellphone. I was looking at Facebook and a pop-up ad appeared. It looked real and had pictures of different people buying their cell phones. I contacted them, and they asked for the money up front. After I sent it, the account disappeared with all my money. I was so frustrated. I called my bank to cancel the transaction, but it was too late. The money was gone.

I Lost My Cat and Found a Scammer
Finally, my last experience was when my cat got lost. I was worried that morning because my cat “Lulu” did not wake me up as he always does. I went to the kitchen to feed him, but he never appeared. I remembered that I saw on the internet a page called Find Your Pet. I signed in and personalized my advertisement with Lulu’s photo and my contact information. I sent it to every group on Facebook and gave them some details about my pet.

We started to receive messages about cats around the area. But there was one that shocked us. Someone posted a picture that looked like our cat, but we weren’t sure. So we asked to see a picture of his tail, because the tail had distinct markings on it. But the person refused. He wanted us to send him money to see our cat. Fortunately, we realized that he was a scammer and blocked him.

We spent all day looking for Lulu. Finally, my husband pointed to a bush, and there he was! We were so glad to find Lulu safe!

How to Guard against Invisible Thieves
Be careful! There are so many ways for people to take advantage of you. My recommendations are:

• If you receive an email from someone you don’t know, it could be phishing. Learn how to recognize phishing. You can Google it or start here: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/ how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams.
• Most importantly, do not open attachments because they could deliver a virus into your computer. This virus could steal your personal information.
• If you want to buy a product on the internet, and the seller pressures you to deposit money first, you are probably talking with a scammer. Block them immediately!
• If you do not know a lot about computers, just ask for help.

The three experiences I have shared with you here have made me aware of online dangers. I hope, now that you know what happened to me, you can avoid these problems. I hope my tips will be useful for everyone!

AFTER YOU READ:
1. Notice the structure of this essay. What are the main parts? How does she begin and end the essay?
2. Does the author make a convincing case that there are “invisible thieves” that you need to be aware of? Why or why not?
3. Your friend posts on social media, but it doesn’t sound like them. They are posting photos of free phones and telling people to click a link to access them. What would you do? What would you say to your friend?

Andrea Coello is a student at Shoreline Adult Education in Branford, Connecticut. She is part of the English as a Second Language program to improve her language skills. She is from Ecuador and moved to the U.S. with her husband and cats in 2022. Now, she is pursuing admission to Gateway Community College, and she hopes to have a better quality of life.

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My Dream Job
Reuniting Immigrant Families

Miriam Lizeth Huerta

BEFORE YOU READ:
What is a dream job? What is your dream job? Share and discuss. (For more stories about work and careers, see Issues 36 and 45 of The Change Agent.)

Finding a Job in a Call Center
When I first came to this country, I thought I would get a job, such as housekeeper or dish- washer. I did not speak English, so I thought I could not get another job.

But then I got a job in the call center of a migrant shelter. Everyone supported me. They said many people on the job spoke Spanish. They said I would speak mostly Spanish on the job. They said that with time, I could learn English.

Promoted to Education Department
After a while, I got promoted to the education department of the migrant shelter. I started working in Child Services. My job was to give classes to immigrant kids to help them adapt to living in the U.S. I had conferences via Zoom, and I used computers, projectors, and other technology. I also used translation apps so that I could communicate with people in different languages. It was challenging to do all this because I had to learn a lot of new technology.

Collecting Documents to Reunite Families
This was the work of my life! Sometimes I was able to reunite children with their families. I collected documents via email to verify that the child would be reunited with the right person. We used Zoom so the family members could see each other. I loved seeing those excited faces when they connected with someone they left behind in their country. At these times, I felt very proud.

Proud and Glad
I was so glad that this job allowed me to grow and develop my skills. Technology saves us enormous amounts of time and enables us to be more productive and efficient. Even better, in my job, technology helped us reunite families!

AFTER YOU READ:
How did technology help Miriam in her job?

Miriam Lizeth Huerta is in an English Literacy class at Ysleta Community Center in El Paso, Texas. She was born in Torreon Coahuila, Mexico. Miriam has three kids and is working hard to learn English to become a citizen and bring her mother to the U.S. for a better life.

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Even a Florist Uses Digital Tools

Ivan Fernandez

BEFORE YOU READ:
What digital tools do you think a florist might use?

Not Just Flowers and Scissors!
You might think that florists spend their time working with flowers, scissors, and vases to create beautiful bouquets. And we do! But since I started working for a florist a year ago, I have discovered that digital tools are also a big part of my job.

The Computer: for Ordering and Pricing
As a floral clerk, I use a computer for ordering flowers. Then I check them in when they are delivered. I also answer the phone and take customers’ orders. I type them in on the computer.

The hardest part of this job is matching the customer’s order with the right flower. I have to know the cost of different flowers. Each arrangement has a price, and I have to match the flowers to that price. I need to search our records for how much we paid for certain flowers.

The Internet: for Learning about Flowers…
I often search the internet to look up information about flowers. I learn where they come from and how to take care of them. Learning how to care for different types of flowers is very important. Not knowing how to treat the flowers could cause the flowers to die.

…and about Mechanics
I use the internet to search for ideas about how to make bouquets. Having an image lets me know what size vase I need. It also gives me ideas about how to manage the “mechanics.” Florists use different structures to keep the arrangement from falling apart. For example, we tape or wire an arrangement to a structure that holds it up. Proper mechanics help an arrangement look good.

More Technology Means More Opportunities
In conclusion, technology has helped me be more productive and more knowledgeable. The great thing is that I am always learning something new. My next goal is to learn how to use the computer to be a better floral designer. I want to get better and more efficient at searching the web. I hope to get promoted at my job, so I have more responsibility. Even as a florist, I can see that technology is the future. The more I learn it, the more opportunities I will have to be successful.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. Study the structure of this essay. Name its components. How does the structure support the reader?
2. If you can, bring to class a vase or a jar, and grasses, flowers, vines, branches—whatever would be easy to pick. Everyone can pool their contributions and then create their own unique bouquets. Discuss what makes a bouquet or an arrangement beautiful.

Ivan Fernandez is a student at Long Beach Adult Learning Center in Long Beach, New York. He has three children, and he has been working at the flower shop for a year. He loves it. He says, “My co-workers are amazing to work with. I have learned so much from them.”

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Digital Tools for a Hairdresser

Miyako Hirata

BEFORE YOU READ:
What digital tools do you think a hairdresser might use?

Beyond the Scissors
I work as a hairdresser. Mostly, I use scissors, hair products, and a blow dryer, but I also use digital tools.

Communicating with Customers by Text
My customers often make appointments six months in advance. Naturally, sometimes you have to change the times. In the past, we had to make a lot of phone calls. We left messages and waited for the person to call back. Sometimes, it took a long time. Now we text. It is simpler, and it takes less time.

The phone corrects my spelling errors. English is not my first language, so I am happy to have this help. Thankfully my phone has autocorrect. Before I send a text to the customer, I check the spelling in the telephone dictionary.

Translation Help from My Phone
The phone can also translate many languages. I wish I could have had this digital tool earlier in my career. Now, I can communicate with people even if we don’t share the same language.

So Many Hairstyles at Our Fingertips
Also, my customers can go online and show me pictures of any hairstyle on their phone or computer. They don’t have to carry several fashion or hair magazines.

There are other benefits of this digital tool. Previously, I went to Europe and went to several hair shows to learn new styles and color techniques. Now, anyone can just go online to YouTube or Google and discover new styles.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. What are two ways that being able to text customers is helpful for the author?
2. What are three ways the author uses her phone in her work?
3. In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of being able to look up hairstyles by phone instead of traveling?

Miyako Hirata is a student at Alameda Reads in Alameda, California. She came to the U.S. in 1980 from Japan. Her boyfriend told her she only needed to know two words — water and bathroom. Seven years ago, she wanted to learn how to use a computer, so she attended classes at the Alameda Senior Center. She had difficulty with spelling. The instructor recommended Alameda Reads, and she has been a student there for seven years.

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Technology at the Construction Site

Juan Jaramillo

BEFORE YOU READ:
What digital tools do you think a construction site inspector might use?

My Car Is My Workstation
I’m an inspector for transportation construction projects in San Antonio. My job requires me to use the company car as my workstation. I need an internet connection, a laptop, and programs like Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Adobe, Teams, Sharepoint, and Google for my activities.

In my role, it is necessary to be in the field, verifying that work is being done according to plan and specifications. I must write a daily report. I have to list the companies that worked that day, the number of people who worked, and the equipment they used. I must also make sure that payments are made according to the contract. To do my job, I rely on digital documents. They make it easier to search, edit, save the information, and share it with the people involved in the project.

Communication Is Essential
Reviewing project specifications, consulting drawings, saving project documents, and even making video calls are some of the daily tasks that, thanks to digital tools, are much easier and faster. Also, when any doubt or problem arises, I can easily communicate what is happening by text, call, email, or video call, which speeds up decision-making and saves time and money.

In addition, translation apps have helped me learn English as a second language. They have also allowed me to grow professionally, write documents, and learn pronunciation. These apps make me feel more confident in the process of adapting to my new country.

Learn Tech So You Can Keep Your Job
Technology is a precious tool that makes work easier, increases productivity, and motivates me to do my job. Some people worry that technology will take away our jobs. But, to paraphrase Jensen Huang, co-founder of the tech company Nvidia: Technology will not take your job, the person who uses technology will take your job.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. What are some of the ways the author uses technology on the job?
2. Re-read the last sentence in italics. Say what this means in your own words.
3. Think about the verb to paraphrase. How is it different from the verb to quote?

Juan Jaramillo is a student at Each One Teach One in San Antonio, Texas. He is from Venezuela and has lived in the United States for five years. He wants to improve his communication skills to advance his career. He has participated in four ESL Programs and studied in a university program. By far, he likes his current program the best because of the academic and community support he receives.

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