Archives - Scam


Don’t give away information the caller should already have

If your bank or another institution with which you have an account calls you, there’s no reason they should have to ask you for personal information like your account number. They should already have that on file and easily accessible if they were planning to contact you. If this happens, it’s likely a scam. Hang […]

Be wary of offers for prepaid debit cards or gift cards

A scammer may reach out to you through a phone call or email and tell you they have a limited-time offer for a prepaid gift card or debit card. The offer might sound enticing — it could be a gift card worth more than they are asking you to pay. However, this is often a […]

Don’t fall for fake calls about your taxes

Sometimes scammers will call your cell phone instead of sending emails. This is called vishing. A scammer may pretend to be a government official and tell you that you have unpaid taxes. They’ll likely then tell you that you have to pay them immediately or you will go to jail. Hang up — this is […]

Be wary if a vendor pressures you to act quickly

Hackers don’t want to give you time to think about an offer, because you may figure out their scheme. They might tell you that the offer is only valid for one day, or even just the next few minutes. Always be wary of such an offer and research the vendor in question before moving forward.

Know the difference between a contact tracer and a scammer

In order to track the spread of the coronavirus, contact tracers might reach out to you if you took a COVID-19 test or if someone you know has tested positive. You should be aware of the signs for when someone is pretending to be a contact tracer, but is really a scammer trying to get […]

Look out for tracking information after you order something online

If you buy something online, the vendor should send tracking information as soon as the item is shipped. If it’s been a few days outside of their shipping window, try contacting the vendor to see what the delay is. If you don’t hear anything back, it’s possible that it was a fraudulent organization, and it […]