Your Security is Imperative!

How it works:

Scammers will contact you via phone call or email to inform you that they owe you a refund. The refund is commonly for an Amazon purchase you did not make or a subscription you did not sign up for. While you are on the phone with them, they will attempt to gain access to your bank account by either asking you for your information or having you grant them access to your computer via help desk software such as ReadyDesk. They will then make it look like your account was refunded an amount way more than you initially discussed. They will ask you to return the excess money via wire transfer, mailing a check, or gift cards. There was never a refund deposited into your account, leaving you paying the scammer out of your own pocket.

How to protect yourself:

Make sure that the email or phone number that reached out to you is legitimate. You can contact the merchant they are posing as to make sure or contact your financial institution to ensure the charges they are claiming they owe you a refund for are reflected on your account. 

How it works:

Phishing scams are a type of social engineering attack in which you receive an email or text that looks like it’s from a popular service provider like Apple or your bank. The message might tell you that someone signed into your account and that you need to reset your password. 

Unfortunately, when you click the link provided, you’ll end up sharing your personal information with scammers or downloading malware onto your device (which can allow them to hack your email). 

Phishing scams also happen via text and even through phone calls, but phishing emails are most common. 

How to protect yourself:

Be extra diligent when responding to official-looking emails. Again, if you’re unsure, contact the company directly and ask if the request is legitimate.

How it works:

Fraudsters will stoop to lows you couldn’t imagine. Some scammers pretend to run a reputable charity (such as a veterans charity) and may call or email you for a donation. Many of them may go as far as to request personal information or banking details, such as your, granting them full access to your account.

How to protect yourself:

Research the organization they are posing as. You can ask them questions related to your research to verify their legitimacy. You can also reach out to the organization and ask if the solicitation for a donation is legitimate.

How it works:

You will receive an email claiming you’ve won the lottery, some sweepstakes, a sum of money, or other prizes. In order to claim your prize, the scammers will ask you to provide sensitive information.

How to protect yourself:

Emails claiming you’ve won a large sum of money can be exciting. Be on high alert if they demand you share sensitive information or send money to the organizers. If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.