Scammers are ingenious and are constantly trying to find ways to steal your money. To best protect yourself, you need to know what to look for. Learn how to protect yourself, what to watch for and some steps to take by reviewing the common types of fraud and scams below.

Imposters try to convince you to send money by pretending to be someone you know or trust (local or state authorities, federal government agencies {FBI, IRS} or charity organizations. Reminder: Caller ID’s can be faked. Always call the organization that you know is the phone number (not the one you received the call on), inquire if that employee is employed there to determine if the call was legitimate before providing any money.

You have found your dream home. All the steps have been checked off; you have won the bid, inspections completed, financing is in place, and the last item on the list is to close.

At this stage there is so much going on, you’re filled with emotions and are overwhelmed with making sure that you get back to this party and sign that form. Scammers take advantage of this stressful time as your guard may be down.  Click here to learn how to best protect yourself from mortgage scams.

If you received a random text from Amazon, USPS, UPS, Costco, Home Depot, etc. informing you that you have an update to your order, unclaimed package, account alert or even to take a survey for a chance for a free gift. Remember: Always go to the source, you know and have, (Amazon, Costco app) to log in and confirm the request. Don’t click on the link in the text.

Usually is established online through dating sites where fraudsters will take the time to get to know you to establish trust prior to asking you to send funds to them and or gain access to your online banking and or financial information by establishing trust. Remember: Don’t share sensitive personal identifiable information (date of birth, social security number, bank account numbers) with those not in need of the information.

Don’t over share on social media. Don’t play the quizzes and games, this alludes to oversharing of your personal information which then gives fraudsters the ability to hack your passwords and/or security questions that you have set up for security measures.