Privacy and security are top priorities for everyone these days. Keeping personal and financial information protected and secure through responsible information collection and processing is essential.
Staying safe requires constant vigilance and some important proactive measures. The best way to avoid getting tricked by scammers is to know the tricks they use and be able to recognize the red flags that signal scams.
Know the red flags
The most common types of scams target people through fake emails (phishing), texts (smishing), voice calls (vishing), letters or even someone who shows up at your front door unexpectedly.
No matter which technique the scammer uses, you may be:
- Pressured to send money
- Threatened with law enforcement action
- Told to purchase gift cards and provide codes as a form of payment
- Asked to cash a check for a stranger or send money via wire transfer
- Asked to deposit a check that overpays for something you’re selling, and then send the difference elsewhere
The best ways to avoid getting scammed
If you provide your information or send money to a scammer, there is often little that can be done to get your money back. Heed the following to avoid becoming a victim of a scam:
- Don’t send gift cards as payment or buy gift cards for someone you don’t know
- Don’t cash checks for strangers or return funds for overpayment
- Don’t provide account or personal information via email or text
- Don’t trust caller ID– the number listed may not be the actual number of the caller and it’s easy to fake
- Don’t give an unsolicited caller or solicitor your personal information or codes
- Don’t pay upfront for a promise
- Don’t click on unsolicited links or attachments sent via email or text
- Never give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer
- Don’t wire money without verifying instructions
- Don’t feel pressured to act immediately
Contact your bank or credit card company IMMEDIATELY if you are concerned that you have been the victim of a scam.
Source:Bank of America
