Archives - Scam

Avoid third-party services that offer to find out your credit score

There’s little to no reason to use paid services, as you can access your credit score for free from any of the three main credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion or Experian. While you can only do this periodically, credit scores tend to be consistent enough and they probably won’t change very much before you can check […]

Real police officers don’t communicate by phone, text or chat

A common tactic for bad actors to scam people into giving up valuable personal information is to pose as a police officer when contacting a potential victim. However, just because someone says they’re a law enforcement officer doesn’t mean they are. This goes for all forms of remote communication, including phone calls: If someone claiming […]

Don’t be fooled by fake holiday deals

Scammers often time their cyberattacks around the holidays. With many consumers increasingly choosing to make their holiday purchases online, rather than in person, is an especially risky time for digital shoppers. Cybercriminals create false websites with spectacular deals to lure unsuspecting consumers into entering their payment information. Others send direct messages to consumers to entice […]

If you find a USB device somewhere in public, don’t plug it into your computer

If you happen upon a USB device while out in public, such as a flash drive, do not take it home and plug it into your computer. There’s no telling what could be on the device, such as malware or ransomware. In some cases, scammers will leave USB devices in places so that they’re found […]

When setting up student loan payments, make sure you’re going through the right provider

When starting payments on your student loans, your payments will be handled by a provider. Identify what company is handling your student loans and follow instructions on how to set up your account. Student loan sites require sensitive information, like your Social Security number, address and your parents’ information. It’s important to make sure the […]

Ask these questions when someone asks for your social security number

Any organization that isn’t your employer, the IRS or your bank probably doesn’t need to know your social security number. However, sometimes other organizations will ask for it. They may need it or they might not, and you should ask questions before agreeing to give it to them. These questions, as recommended by the Federal […]