Know the Threats
Fraudsters are out there, hiding in the shadows, waiting for unsuspecting victims to give out personal or financial information or click on a link or attachment that installs malicious software called “malware.” Learn how to stop them!
Phishing, smishing,
vishing
Fake emails, texts, or phone calls look like they’re from your bank or another legitimate company. If you click on a link or open an attachment, it can install malicious software (“malware”) or get you to give out your personal or financial information.
Tech support scams
Pop-up messages, emails, or texts claim your device has been infected with a virus and give a number to call for technical support.
Password reuse
Use unique passwords for each app or account. Don’t reuse the same password.
Top Tips to Protect Yourself from Fraud
- The bank will NEVER contact you to ask you for personal or financial information.
- Don’t open emails or click on links or attachments from people or companies you don’t know.
- Watch out for phishing—emails, texts, social media messages, or phone calls that seem real but aren’t.
- Use strong, unique passwords for every online account with letters, numbers, and special characters.
- Regularly check your accounts, statements, and credit reports for suspicious activity.
- Don’t share your Social Security number or banking information unless absolutely necessary.
News
Keep an eye out for these fraud schemes
Fake Prize, Lottery, and Sweepstakes Scams
You get a call, email, or letter saying you won a sweepstakes, lottery, or prize — like an iPad, a new car, or something else. But then, they ask you to pay money or give them your account information to get the prize. If you pay, you’ll lose your money and find out there is no prize. Don’t fall for it! Here are three signs to help you recognize you’re dealing with a scam:
- If you have to pay money in order to get your prize or lottery winnings.
- If you are asked to give your personal, financial, or account information.
- If you have to pay to increase your odds of winning.
How to protect yourself
- Always be skeptical of unexpected notifications claiming you’ve won a prize.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of any prize notification that seems too good to be true, especially if it comes from an unknown source.
- Verify the source by researching the company through their website or a phone call.
- Don’t share your personal or financial information. Never give out account details, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive information.
- Be cautious of scammers who try to pressure you into acting quickly, so take your time to investigate a prize offer.
- Report suspicious activity to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Romance Scams
With romance scams, which can happen to people of all genders, fraudsters create fake online dating or social media profiles to attract and earn the trust of unsuspecting users. Their goal is to trick users into sending money or providing personal information that they can use for nefarious purposes.
How to protect yourself
- Be vigilant about what you post online. Scammers will use this information to make it appear as though they understand you.
- If you connect with someone online, research their profile and photos online to see if they are in other places.
- Proceed cautiously and ask lots of questions if someone interests you.
- If your potential partner seems a little too perfect or asks you to move to private conversations very quickly, proceed cautiously.
- Watch out if the person asks for more photos, money, or personal financial information.
- Be suspicious if the person plans to meet you in person but cancels unexpectedly.
- Never send money online or by phone to someone you haven’t met.
Job Scams
Scammers are lurking on LinkedIn and other job sites, posing as “recruiters” for well-known companies. But instead of looking to hire you, they’re really looking to take your money and personal information. Work-at-home schemes claim you need to first pay for computer equipment or training.
To spot these scams, know that honest employers will never ask you to pay upfront fees for a job or for equipment. And they won’t ask you to pay them using cash, Zelle or PayPal. Anyone who does is a scammer.
Remember, never give out your personal, financial, or account information. Contact the company directly to determine whether the job posting is legitimate. If you can’t confirm the job is real, it could be a scam.
How to protect yourself
- Before applying for any position online, research prospective employers by visiting their website or reading employer reviews.
- Research any history of scams by typing the name of the company and the word “scam” or “complaint” in a search engine to see if anything comes up.
- Never provide personal information, such as your Social Security number or financial information, until you’re hired and have verified the legitimacy of the company and the person requesting information.
- Never provide your credit or debit card number when applying for a job.
- Never send a prospective employer money for training, materials, or certifications, and never buy computer or other equipment using a check they’ve sent you.
- Remember that a legitimate employer will never send you a check to deposit and then ask you to send a portion of that money elsewhere or ask you to buy gift cards for a third party.
Emergency Scams
Scammers send unsolicited emails, texts, phone calls, and social media messages that claim a friend or family member needs money quickly for bail, medical care, a lawyer, etc. These communications often direct you to a website to enter personal and payment information or ask you to click on a link or download a file that could allow a scammer to download malicious software (“malware”) onto your computer.
How to protect yourself
- Confirm the identity of the person the scammer is pretending to be.
- Do not provide personal data (Social Security number, date of birth, etc.) or financial information (account numbers or passwords) via email, phone, text, or social media.
- Do not click on links or download attachments from unsolicited emails or texts.
- Don’t provide remote access to your computer or other devices.
Charity Scams
Scammers take advantage of our generosity and desire to help others by posing as charities, often using names that sound like well-known organizations just to confuse you. They might call, email, or text you to ask for donations—and they often pressure you to donate right away and ask for cash, wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. Be extra-careful!
How to protect yourself
- Send money only to known/established charities. Visit the Better Business Bureau, Charity Watch, or Charity Navigator to verify the authenticity of a charity.
- Watch for variations of a legitimate charity’s website address or email. For example, you may see “.com” or “.net” instead of “.org” (“.org” is what legitimate charities use).
- To verify that the request is from a real charity, visit that charity’s own website.
- Do not respond to unsolicited emails, texts, social media, or phone calls from a charity looking for donations.
- Watch for high-pressure tactics that prompt you to act immediately. Legitimate charities don’t use these tactics.
- When making charitable donations, don’t send cash and don’t use GoFundMe unless you’re sure the organizer is legitimate.
- Beware of charities that ask you to send gift cards to help victims. A true charity would never ask for this type of payment.
- If you write a check, make it payable to the charity, not an individual or third party.
Gift Card Scams
Gift cards are commonly purchased—and scammers know it. They also know that gift cards don’t offer the purchase protection that debit and credit cards provide. Watch out for these gift card scams:
Gift card tampering. Take caution when purchasing gift cards in-store. Scammers can tamper with them by using readers that steal the serial number and PIN on the card’s magnetic strip.
Other gift card scams. Someone says you owe money to a company, government agency, or person, but wants you to pay in gift cards.
How to protect yourself
- Always buy gift cards from trusted sources and keep your receipt.
- Carefully inspect gift cards for tampering before purchase.
- Never share the full details of the gift card, including the gift card number, the PIN, or security code with anyone you don’t fully know or trust.
- Be aware of scammers who will ask you to buy a gift card and send them the numbers.
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