As technology evolves, criminals are getting more cunning with scams and frauds. Please be wary of phishing and identity theft scams and follow these tips to avoid divulging secure information.
- Scammers often imitate known organizations like the government, your bank or utility company. DO NOT click on any contact links or call any numbers in suspicious emails or texts. To verify the validity of any inquiry or information, go directly to the organization’s website and to find the legitimate contact information.
- Scammers will declare there’s a problem or a prize. If you receive communication stating you owe money or have won a prize and need to verify information – this is likely a scam.
- Scammers will pressure you to act immediately and demand you pay a specific way. They want victims to feel scared of getting arrested or incurring larger fines if they don’t act right away. They will encourage payment through a pay app, gift cards or crypto currency.
When in doubt, visit the organization’s website to reach out to them, or look up the specific instructions or issue to see if others have reported the scam. Don’t ever give out personal or financial information in response to a request and resist the pressure to act immediately.
For more information on how to avoid scams, what to do if you lost money to a scam and how to report them, visit the
FTC website.
