Snail Mail Fraud
Scammers steal mail or send fake letters or packages in an attempt to access your personal information.
Look out for: Letters requesting personal details or money, vague but empty threats, phony-looking “official” seals.
Scams to Watch Out For
Scammers are always finding new ways to steal funds and personal information. Prevention is the best cure, so stay alert and steer clear of these common scams.
Email Fraud
Phishing emails designed to trick you into sharing sensitive information, sending money, or installing malware.
Look out for: Unsolicited emails, unknown senders, suspicious links with a string of random letters or numbers, grainy logos, typos, pressure to act quickly.
Text Fraud
Text messages designed to trick you into providing personal data or clicking malicious links.
Look out for: Unexpected texts asking for personal information, suspicious links with a string of random letters or numbers, typos, and awkward grammar.
Phone Fraud
Scammers impersonate legitimate organizations over the phone to steal your identity or money.
Look out for: Calls from unknown numbers, fake prizes or lottery winnings, vague but empty threats, requests to confirm sensitive information.
Website Fraud
Fake websites that mimic legitimate ones, tricking users into entering personal details or making payments.
Look out for: URLs with slight misspellings, unusual domain names (.net instead of .com), limited contact information.
Social Media Fraud
Scammers on social media platforms create fake profiles to steal money or personal information.
Look out for: Unverified profiles, stolen profile pictures, generic language, suspicious links with a string of random letters or numbers, requests for money, invitations to invest.
Social Media Shopping Ads
Suspicious ads or shopping links on social media that lead to fake or malicious sites.
Look out for: Ads from unfamiliar brands, too-good-to-be-true deals, limited contact info, negative reviews or no reviews, no secure payment options.
Card Skimmers
Devices placed on ATMs or point-of-sale terminals to capture credit or debit card information.
Look out for: Loose or bulky card-skimming equipment, hidden cameras.
Employment Scams
Fake employment opportunities designed to steal personal information or money.
Look out for: Job offers requiring upfront payment, requests for sensitive information early on, unrealistically high salaries, vague job details.
Peer-to-Peer Payment Platforms
Scams involving fraudulent payment requests on payment apps like Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App.
Look out for: Unexpected payment requests, pressure to act quickly, “accidental” transfer messages.
IRS Refund Theft
Scammers steal tax refunds by filing fraudulent tax returns using stolen personal information.
Look out for: Notices of tax filings you didn’t initiate, unexpected IRS communications.
Voice Cloning Scam
Scammers use AI to impersonate loved ones and ask for money, manipulating voice and video recordings to clone their voices.
Look out for: Stilted language, choppy sentences, requests to keep the call a secret, pressure to act quickly, requests for wire transfers or other hard-to-trace payment methods.
Don't Be Embarrassed - It Happens
As technology advances, so do scams. Stay vigilant, and remember there are different levels of scams – there’s a big difference between having your debit card compromised and having your identity stolen.