Unfortunately, there are an abundance of scams targeting consumers out there. It is important to keep yourself knowledgeable about the most popular and most recent scams and how you can avoid falling victim to them.
Scammers are getting even more sly, so we need to get even better at spotting them!
Check out this list of popular scams so you can recognize them before it’s too late:
- Grandchild in trouble – don’t send money, instead call a family member to verify that your grandchild is indeed okay
- Rescue a puppy for “adoption” online – if they ask for all of the payment and fees up front, it could be a scam where they’ll take your money, and you’ll never get the puppy
- Fake tech support – they’re not actually helping you with anything, they’re just trying to get your personal information or access to your accounts
- Online romance – they’ll start the chat or relationship and ask for money, but don’t buy their sob story, they just scamming you for funds
- Pigeon drop – if someone randomly approaches you saying they just found some money, be sure to just walk away
- Email/phishing scams – do not give out or input your personal information, passwords, PINs, etc. online or on the phone when you have not verified the origin of the call or email (also, most reputable companies won’t request that information via email or phone by solicitating you)
- Homeowners beware – there are many fake property, tax bills, liens, etc. that specifically target homeowners
- Sweepstakes, lotteries & crypto – if they say you need to pay to receive your winnings, it’s not true, do not provide payment or other information
- Funeral scams – unfortunately, upon the death of a loved one, scammers will try to take advantage, be sure to ignore strangers asking for money or documents
We hope that keeping these popular types of scams in mind will help you protect your identity and personal information!