How to protect yourself against a scam
Recognising these common signs of a scam could help you avoid falling for one
Frequency of online scams have gone up
Online scams are becoming more and more common, yet there are few steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones from online attacks.
Four common signs that it is a scam
Pretending to be from a company you know
Scammers will pretend to sound offical and take it as far as using technology to change the phone number and caller ID.
Theres a problem or a prize
You'll be told that you are in trouble or you've won a prize. Some will go as far to say your account has issues and they need to verify your information.
They'll pressure you to act immediately
Once they pressure you they'll use threats to keep your attention so you can't verify their story. They might say your computer is about to be corrupted.
Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way.
They'll try and get you to send money, put money on a gift card and send the number on the back to them.
What You Can Do to Avoid 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. Legitimate organizations won’t call, email, or text to ask for your personal information, like your Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers.
FAQs
How can I tell apart a scam email from a normal email or text message?
What if I get a message for immediate payment from an account I think is legitimate?