International Fraud Awareness Week is Nov. 12-18, 2023.
Fraud comes in many forms and packages, including scams. Here are some important tips and reminders to keep you safe and to highlight just some of the many scams and fraud approaches.
Since November 12-18, 2023 is International Fraud Awareness Week, we wanted to include some important tips and resources as well as mention some of the key scams we see this time of year. Scams are fraud targeting employees and individuals both at home and at work.
Ways to SPOT a Scam before you’re a victim
1. Scammers often PRETEND to be from an organization you know.
Scammers often pretend to be contacting you on behalf of the government. They might use a real name, like the FTC, Social Security Administration, IRS, or Medicare, or make up a name that sounds official. Some pretend to be from a business you know, like a utility company, a tech company, delivery company (FedEx, UPS, Amazon, USPS) or even a charity asking for donations.
They use technology to change the phone number that appears on your caller ID. Be aware that the name and number you see might not be real.
2. Scammers cause emotion when they say there’s a PROBLEM or a PRIZE.
They might say you’re in trouble with the government. Or you owe money. Or someone in your family had an emergency. Or that there’s a virus on your computer.
Some scammers say there’s a problem with one of your accounts and that you need to verify some information.
Others will lie and say you won money in a lottery or sweepstakes but have to pay a fee to get it.
3. Scammers often PRESSURE you to act immediately.
Scammers want you to act before you have time to think. If you’re on the phone, they might tell you not to hang up so you can’t check out their story.
They might threaten to arrest you, sue you, take away your driver’s or business license, or deport you. They might say your computer is about to be corrupted.
4. Scammers often tell you to PAY in a specific way.
They often insist that you can only pay by using cryptocurrency, wiring money through a company like MoneyGram or Western Union, using a payment app, or putting money on a gift card and then giving them the numbers on the back of the card.
Some will send you a check (that will later turn out to be fake), then tell you to deposit it and send them money.
What to do to AVOID being a victim of a Scam:
Block unwanted calls and text messages. Take steps to block unwanted calls and to filter unwanted text messages.
Don’t give your personal or financial information in response to a request that you didn’t expect. Honest organizations won’t call, email, or text to ask for your personal information, like your Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers.
If you get an email or text message from a company you do business with and you think it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any links. Instead, contact them using a website you know is trustworthy. Or look up their phone number. Don’t call a number they gave you or the number from your caller ID.
Resist the pressure to act immediately. Honest businesses will give you time to make a decision. Anyone who pressures you to pay or give them your personal information is a scammer.
Know how scammers tell you to pay. Never pay someone who insists that you can only pay with cryptocurrency, a wire transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram, a payment app, or a gift card. And never deposit a check and send money back to someone.
Stop and talk to someone you trust. Before you do anything else, tell someone — a friend, a family member, a neighbor — what happened. Talking about it could help you realize it’s a scam.
Reminders about the dangers of Links and attachments:
- Surfing the Web
- Reading and Responding to:
- Emails
- Texts
- Instant Messages
Remember that the bad guys want you to click on links or open attachments – that is how they “phish” you. If the email/text/instant message seems odd – don’t click on the link, don’t open the attachment. If it says it is from your “bank”, “Amazon”, “UPS”, “IRS”, “FBI”, “USPS”, etc. – don’t click on those – these are common “phishing” scams – wanting you to worry or be curious and then open them. Others will simply send you a text or instant message that simply says:
- Check this out: {vague but malicious link here}
- Did you see this? {vague but malicious link here}
- Shipping confirmation required: {vague but malicious link here}
- Account will be locked, confirm information here: {vague or malicious link here}
Instead – if you are expecting something from Amazon, just login to your normal Amazon account like you normally would. (Don’t use the link in the email/text/IM.) Best to bookmark your main locations, like your bank, amazon, etc. so you know they are the correct links. If it says it is from a bank or credit card company, you can always call the number on your bill or the back of your credit card.
Privacy Awareness Reminder:
There has been a lot of activity on the privacy side of the house as well. As you surf the web, be sure you look at privacy statements. Read the details, determine where your data is going, and more importantly, understand what data will be captured and how it will be used. Also ensure you are looking at cookie settings. Pick the ones that you want. Don’t just accept all or go with the default. It’s your data, be deliberate!
