7 Common Sense Ways to Protect Yourself

1. Beware of the fake invoice or suspicious email.

Be sure to check that email address. The name may be familiar, but the email address may be a long string of unrelated characters. Other scamsters may have an email that is one letter off. Or they may simply use .net instead of .com. Does an invoice ask you to provide new bank information? That’s a potential red flag. A simple way to side-step a fraudulent transfer of funds is to verify you are using a trusted source, for instance making a quick phone call to the vender.

2. Scammers will pretend to be from an institution you are familiar with.

You’ve probably received these emails or phone calls. Someone reaches out to you claiming to be from the IRS,
the Social Security Administration, or another government organization. The caller says you owe money and that you must pay, or legal action will be taken. The email may have official logos, or your caller ID may reflect the government agency’s name. Let me be clear on this- the IRS will never make first contact via a phone call and claim you owe them money. You’ll receive a letter with details and steps you can take. If you receive a call, simply hang up the phone. Please do not engage the caller. If you “settle” and pay over the phone, expect repeated phone calls as more “discrepancies” are found. In other words, they will extract as much cash as you allow them too.

3. Avoid the Social Security scam.

In one version of the scam, the caller says your Social Security number has been linked to a crime involving drugs or sending money out of the country illegally. They then tell you that your Social Security number is blocked. For a fee, it can be reactivated. Then the scammer will ask you to confirm your Social Security number. Hang up. The Social Security Administration will never call you on the phone and ask for your Social Security number.

4. Scammers will tell you how to pay.

They often insist that you pay by sending money through a money transfer company or by putting money on a gift card. Others will send you a fake check (unbeknownst to you), tell you to deposit it, the check bounces and then they request that you send them money. This is a common Craigslist scam. On the other hand, if you are selling items, cash is usually the best way to proceed.

5. Pop-up warnings.

Tech support scammers may try to lure you with a pop-up window that appears on your computer screen. It might look like an error message from your operating system or antivirus software. It might use logos from trusted companies or websites. The message in the window warns of a security issue on your computer and directs you to call a phone number to get help. Simply ignore. You can always use your antivirus software to scan. If you call, they’ll likely give you worthless information–for a fee. They may also have you download malware or other unwanted software that they claim will fix the issue.

6. Avoid phishing scams.

According to:
https://www.phishing.org/what-is-phishing Phishing, phishing is a cybercrime in which a person is contacted by email, telephone, or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as banking, credit card details and passwords. Phishing emails and text messages spin a tale in order to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment.

7. Steer clear of the fake Facebook page.

Scammers sometimes set up a fake Facebook page of a well-known company. Scammers then add a post claiming they will give away autos, free airline tickets, or thousands of dollars to “hundreds of lucky winners.” Simply share the post, comment, click on a provided link, and fill out the requested information. If you look at the FB page, you’ll notice it’s brand new as there are few posts, and it lacks a verified FB badge indicating its authenticity. However, you’ll see hundreds of individuals who have dutifully complied with the scammer’s requirements. Sadly, they will win nothing but grief.