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FBI warns of scammers using fear of hacked information to manipulate victims

PITTSBURGH — Recent hacks and breaches have left the information of millions of people vulnerable.

Now, scammers are using it to their advantage.

The Pittsburgh FBI said it's beginning to see more scammers setting up fake websites and contacting people claiming their information has been hacked.

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“It will be very similar to the website, you may not even be able to tell that it's a different website,” said FBI Pittsburgh’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “They're really stealing your username and password then, in turn, using that to log into your accounts.”

The security breaches are hitting more people, with recent data breaches against companies like Marriott and Facebook impacting millions.

It’s a reality that doesn’t come as a surprise to Duquesne University’s Chief Information Officer Thomas Dugas.

“The average person is becoming so numb to them because they're happening so often and frequent,” said Dugas.

The FBI believes education is one of the best ways to avoid being a target.

Officials also recommend not clicking links sent in suspicious emails.

“Don't click on the link to go to the website, actually go to the website in your browser,” Yarbrough said.

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