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Tech Support Scams

Here’s how they work:

You get a call or message from someone who says they’re a computer technician. Or a number appears in a pop-up message on your screen. Or maybe you’re looking for tech suppoft and call a number you find in a search engine. The person on the phone says they’re from a well-known company like Microsoft or Apple. And they tell you about viruses or other malware on your computer. Maybe they’ll ask you for remote access to your computer or say you must buy new software to fix it. But are they someone you can trust? Judging by reports to the Federal Trade Commission, no. Tech support scammers will try to sell you useless services, steal your credit card number, or get access to your computer to install malware, which could then let them see everything on your computer (including your account passwords).

Here’s what to do:

1. Hang up. lf you get an unexpected call from someone saying there’s a problem with a computer – hang up, it’s a scam. lf you need tech help, go to someone you know and trust – and call them at a phone number you know to be true (the ones that show up in your search engine aren’t always legit).

2. Pass this information on to a friend. You might know these are scammers, but chances are, you know someone who doesn’t.

Sending Money Overseas Scams

You want to send money to someone in another country. Sometimes, this is called wiring
money. Wiring money is just like sending cash.

Before You Wire Money:
A business that wires money for you charges a fee to send that money. Before you pay to send money, ask the business these questions:
– How much money will my family or friend get?
– Will my family or friend get money in US dollars, or in local money?

Write this information down. Visit a few businesses that wire money overseas. Compare the cost of one money wiring business to another. Each business might charge a different price. lf the business will not answer these questions, think about going to another business.

When you choose the money wiring business you will use, make sure the cost is the same as the business told you. After you send the money, keep your receipt. You will need it if something goes wrong.

After You Wire Money:
Find out if your family or friend got the money you sent. Find out if they got the right amount. lf they did not get the amount you sent, report it right away:
– First, report it to the money wiring business.
– Then, if the business does not solve the problem, report it to the Federal Trade
Commission. Call 1-877-382-4357, or go to ftc’sov/complaint’

Texting Scams

How To Recognize Fraudulent Texts And Protect Yourself:

Think back on the number of times your bank has sent you unsolicited texts in the past year. Hold that number in your head. Now, if your bank sent you an unexpected text today, asking if you wired $7,500 to someone, would you consider that business as usual? Probably not. Unfortunately, bank impersonators are increasingly becoming more common. Fraudulent bank text messages are on the rise, representing the most common type of text messaging scams now reported to the Federal Trade Commission. And these scams are getting very sophisticated. In 2022, American consumers lost more than $330 million to these “smishing” attacks – a mash-up of SMS and phishing. In the same year, 76% of all organizations experienced smishing cybercrimes, IBM reports. Fortunately, you are equipped to stay two steps ahead of fraudsters. Here’s how to smish-proof yourself.

If you receive a text alleging to be your financial institution, do not click on any of the links and do not respond. You should “report junk” on an iPhone or “report spam” on an Android phone. Block the contact from messaging you again, and then call your bank directly.

 

6 Tell-Tale Ways To Spot A Text Scammer:

If you receive a random text from your bank that includes an urgent request, information about a new product, and/or an embedded link, do not consider it business as usual. Consider it a potential scam.

Here are six fast ways to tell when a “bank” text doesn’t pass the smish test:

You don’t recognize the number, kinda. If the number attached to the text is not identified as one of your contacts, don’t trust it. But do check the number carefully – smishers use spoofing software and technologies to create fake numbers that look a lot like ones you know – including your own phone number.

It includes a tempting link. A link should always be a red flag. A hoax link or attachment might take you to a phishing website designed to collect more information from you (like a password), or download malware that will spy on your online activity and steal sensitive data from your device. Do not click anything. The website may even look legitimate, so make sure you check the URL to ensure that it is actually your bank’s website. Another way to test if a site is legitimate is to exit the site and enter your bank’s website how you normally would and attempt to find the page from the text.

The texter wants to “confirm” your deets. A text that asks to verify any personal information, even a phone number or transaction, is suspect. The sender is looking for information to access your bank account. Your bank would not request sensitive info in a text.

It’s hair-on-fire urgent. Scammers strive to trigger alarm and force action. If a message demands an immediate response – it might, for example, tell you to contact a linked “bank representative” to clear up suspicious activity – the only immediate action you should take is to report it.

It gets a “C” in grammar. Uncommon wording and spelling mistakes are a common giveaway of fraud texts – think “kindly” instead of “please” and mixing plurals and singulars. Also, a scam is more likely to be overly familiar (Hey, Bill!) or overly formal (Dear sir or madam). It’s important to know that as artificial intelligence becomes more commonly used to write emails, the grammar may not have as many mistakes as it used to.

It’s giving you a deal! Any message that appears too good to be true is, well, you know the rest. Your bank is not permitted to send you promotional materials unless you’ve opted to receive them. It also wouldn’t alert you via text if you had a sudden windfall.

 

Protect Your Account From Text Scammers: 3 Guidelines

If you receive a text alleging to be your financial institution, do not click on any of the links and do not respond. Report these texts using the report spam prompts on your phone, block the contact from messaging you again, and then call your bank directly (use the number on the back of your bank card or from its website). Remember, these text messages are designed to make someone panic so they act quickly without thinking. Take a moment to pause before acting.

In the meantime, these guidelines can protect you from becoming a target of smish scammers.

1. Ask your phone to protect you. Devices that use Apple or Android operating systems are equipped to filter out suspicious texts and unknown numbers (check your settings). Many major wireless providers also offer services to block or flag calls. Lastly, install two-factor authentication on your accounts to ensure security.

2. Ignore the sender. If you are not 101% sure of a text’s sender, do not respond, even to type “Stop” or “No.” Once you do, you’ve confirmed you are active on the device and an imposter pretending to be a bank representative will call and request more information, or the scammer will sell your active number on the Dark Web.

3. Keep your numbers to yourself. Never share account numbers, card numbers, social security number, or even your birth date with an unconfirmed contact. Personal identity details can be used to cobble together a fraud profile of you. Your financial institutions already have this information on file.

ATM Fraud

Examine the car reader for signs of tampering.

  • Try jiggling the card reader to see if it’s loose and look for signs of glue around reader to spot a skimmer.
  • If the keypad feels “off” or the buttons are unusually spongy or uneven, the keypad may be fake. Sometimes, thieves will put a fake key pad over the real pad to capture your PIN number.
  • There is tape sticking out from under the reader.
  • The reader is skewed or hanging off to the side.
  • A loose piece of plastic, or wires sticking out from the reader.

Home Repair Scams

Here’s how they work:

Someone knocks on your door or calls you. They say they can fix your leaky roof, install new windows, or provide the latest energy-efficient solar panels. They might find you after a flood, windstorm or other natural disaster. They pressure you to act quickly, might ask you to pay in cash, or offer to get
you financing.

But here’s what happens next: they run off with your money and never make the repairs. Or they do shoddy repairs that make things worse. Maybe they even put you in a bad financing agreement that puts your house at risk.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Stop. Check it out. Before making home repairs, ask for references, licenses and insurance. Get three written estimates. Don’t start work until you have a signed contract. And don’t pay by cash or wire transfer.

2. Pass this information on to a friend. You may see through these scams. But chances are you know someone who could use a friendly reminder.

“You’ve Won” Scams

Here’s how they work:

You get a card, a call, or an email telling you that you won! Maybe it’s a trip or a prize, a lottery or a sweepstakes. The person calling is so excited and can’t wait for you to get your winnings.

But here’s what happens next: they tell you there’s a fee, some taxes, or customs duties to pay. And then they ask for your credit card number or bank account information, or they ask you to wire money.

Either way, you lose money instead of winning it. You don’t ever get that big prize. Instead, you get more requests for money, and more promises that you won big.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Keep your money – and your information – to yourself. Never share your financial information with someone who contacts you and claims to need it. And never wire money to anyone who asks you to.

2. Pass this information on to a friend. You probably throw away these kinds of scams or hang up when you get these calls. But you probably know someone who could use a friendly reminder.

Healthcare Scams

Here’s how they work:

You see an ad on TV telling you about a new law that requires you to get a new health care card. Maybe you get a call offering you big discounts on health insurance. Or maybe someone says they’re from the government, and she needs your Medicare number to issue you a new card.

Scammers follow the headlines. When it’s Medicare open season, or when health care is in the news, they go to work with a new script. Their goal? To get your Social Security number, financial information, or insurance number. So take a minute to think before you talk: Do you really have to get a new health care card? ls that discounted insurance a good deal? ls that “government official” really from the government? The answer to all three is almost always: No.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Stop. Check it out. Before you share your information, call Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE), do some research, and check with someone you trust. What’s the real story?

2. Pass this information on to a friend. You probably saw through the requests. But chances are you know someone who could use a friendly reminder.

Charity Fraud

Here’s how it works:

Someone contacts you asking for a donation to their charity. lt sounds like a group you’ve heard of it seems real, and you want to help.

How can you tell what charity is legitimate and what’s a scam? Scammers want your money quickly. Charity scammers often pressure you to donate right away. They might ask for cash, and might even offer to send a courier or ask you to wire money. Scammers often refuse to send you information about the charity, give you details, or tell you how the money will be used. They might even thank you for a pledge you don’t remember making.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Take your time. Tell callers to send you information by mail. For requests you get in the mail, do your research. ls it a real group? What percentage ofyour donation goes to the charity? ls your donation taxdeductible? How do they want you to pay? Rule out anyone who asks you to send cash or wire money. Chances are, that’s a scam.

2. Pass this information on to a friend. lt’s likely that nearly everyone you know gets charity solicitations. This information could help someone else spot a possible scam.

Pig Butchering Scam

Here’s how it works:

The pig butchering scam is a type of fraud in which criminals lure victims into digital relationships to build trust before convincing them to invest in cryptocurrency platforms. Unbeknownst to victims, the fraudsters control the platforms and will eventually take all the money and vanish.(Pig butchering—a scam named after the practice of farmers fattening hogs before slaughter) Pig butchering scams are long-term con jobs that combine elements of romance scams, investment schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Break off all contact with the scammer. Effective immediately, stop all communications across text, social media, apps, and email. Don’t send any explanation or say goodbye, as you don’t want to arouse their suspicions.

2. Block and report their account. It’s common for gangs to use multiple digital “friends” of the host to add credibility to the long-term scheme. Make sure to report every profile that might be part of the scam.

3. Change all your passwords and login credentials. If you share any account numbers or access codes for your cryptocurrency accounts or online platforms, you’ll need to create new, complex passwords that aren’t easy to hack.

4. File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). It helps to include specific details and any supporting documents — like screenshots of email, text, and WhatsApp conversations.

5. File a police report. You can inform your local law enforcement office with full details of the fraud and ask them to contact the crypto exchange.

6. Monitor your online and financial accounts for signs of fraud. Keep a close eye on all your credit reports, bank accounts, and credit card statements to spot any unfamiliar transactions.