Scammers are always in season. Here’s some help spotting a scammer.
A scammer is defined as a person who commits fraud or participates in a dishonest scheme. They look for any and every opportunity to take advantage of people. Unfortunately, there are lots of scammers out there, but there has been an uptick in scammers impersonating companies like Amazon, posing as the IRS, or pretending to be a love interest, to name a few.
Scammers are pros at tricking you, but here are three tips to help you spot a scammer:
- Never Ever Asking for money to get money is a scam every time. Nobody doing legitimate business will ever ask you to pay by gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer through companies like Western Union or MoneyGram. Only scammers use that one! Getting you to send payment using an unsecured, untraceable transaction is a scammer’s dream.
- No Personal Info Never share your personal information with anyone that has contacted you unsolicited. Being contacted in-person or via a phone call, text, email, or social media asking for your birthdate, Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number is a sure sign of a scammer.
- Not So Pleased to Meet You Use extreme caution dealing with anyone you have met online. Dating websites, social media, Craigslist, and other sites are fraught with scammers. These platforms allow for personal interaction, and you can develop trust making this online interaction feel like a friend or love interest. Part of the scam is getting you to trust them. Beware as this “friend” might not be as they appear.
Scammers prey on your emotions in hopes that you will make a decision you normally wouldn’t. Before you act, it is so important just to take a breath and think, ‘does this make sense?’ And know you can also call your local Bank Forward branch with any questions you may have. We are here to help!
