Greetings all!
Scammers are becoming more and more creative. Make sure you stay vigilant and know how to spot a scam and how to protect yourself!
Popular scams are:
- Imposters, mobile ransomware
- Online romance, job offers
- Grandparent
- Pay yourself
- Lottery winnings and bogus prizes
- Investment opportunity
- Tech support
- Home closing
- Online shopping
- Utility shutoff
How to protect yourself:
- Scammers often target the elderly and vulnerable.
- Phishing is when scammers send emails that appear to be from reputable companies. Do not open links in emails or texts unless you’re sure of the sender. Hover over email or web addresses to check the actual source.
- Never provide your usernames or passwords outside of the normal secure sites and apps you use.
- Look for spelling errors, “off” colors, altered language.
- Use strong passwords.
- Guard your personal information: Fraudsters can spoof a phone number to make it look like the call or text is coming from a reputable company. DO NOT offer information to someone who calls you directly.
- Do not act immediately: Scammers may pressure you to pay them quickly and can have a demanding tone. Always verify who they are and think about what they are asking for.
- Use caution when sending money: Scammers could tell you to pay in ways where you may not be able to get your money back, like money transfers, gift cards or using Zelle®. Always verify who the recipient is before sending money. Never send your financial or personal info by email.
- The way you pay matters: Different payment methods offer different protections. Some debit and credit cards might offer fraud monitoring for unusual purchases.
What did you think? Drop me a line!
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