How can I ensure my finances are fraud and scam free?

Preventing fraud starts with caution. Never give out personal or banking information, including verification codes, or transaction details if someone contacts you by text, phone, or email and always check the source. Scammers and fraudsters are finding new ways to take advantage of people. Credit Human is here with some tips to protect yourself and loved ones from the stresses of fraud and financial scams.

Your safe word is "verify"

When it comes to online shopping, being safe can be easier said than done. You’ve found the perfect gift and you’re ready to check out, but how do you know it’s safe and secure?
 

Be skeptical

If you find yourself browsing a website or reading a text or email that’s not familiar take a measured and cautious approach before any transactions occur. Be skeptical if you note poor grammar and spelling–legitimate company websites take great care in having a professional looking site. Occasional typos on a website can happen, but excessive errors could mean you are not on a legitimate site.

Verify

• Online banking and shopping
  When in doubt verify before taking action. Verify website legitimacy by checking the website contact page. If you don’t see multiple options (phone, email, live chat or physical address) then proceed with caution. Legitimate websites and businesses will be happy to give you all the information you need. Also, verify by re-checking the website name and URL before entering financial information as scammers tend to create “similar” website names to trick the user into thinking they are on a legit site, like Yah00.com or Amaz0n.net.
• Responding to text or email alerts
  Lots of businesses and financial institutions use text messages and emails to verify your identity and alert you to potential problems, but scammers know this, and they can mimic these messages, sometimes very convincingly. Instead of responding to the message, look up the business’s customer service number and contact them yourself. Verify that they sent you the message and why before giving out any information. Never click on links sent to you via text or email unless you initiated the contact.

Read reviews

If the website or business is not reviewed, or has a lot of negative reviews, please take your business elsewhere. If something seems “too good to be true” it probably is. Likewise, be cautious if a message or checkout process seems threatening or high-pressure.

Keep calm & keep checking

Financial health starts with making a habit of regularly viewing your credit card, debit card and checking accounts.

Keep checking

It's recommended you check your transactions daily and make it part of your regular routine–no less often than two or three times a week. The sooner you can recognize and identify an unknown and possibly fraudulent transaction, the better. It is much easier to address fraud if it is caught quickly.

Remain vigilant

Keep your senses attuned to suspicious situations, and if you see something don’t wait. If you find a suspicious transaction or believe you might have fallen victim to a scam, immediately contact your financial institution and follow their process.

Staying ahead of scams

Whether it’s online or transacting business in the “real” world it’s important to be aware of anything that seems out of the ordinary.

Be on guard

Resist any pressure to act immediately. Legitimate businesses will give you time to make a decision. Anyone who pressures you to pay or give them your personal information it could be a scammer. Sensitive details like your account numbers, member ids, most recent transactions or login credentials should never be shared unless you started the conversation by contacting your financial institution directly.

Stop and talk to someone you trust.

If you see a red flag, like “time sensitive” alerts, threatening language or an unfamiliar sender, stop what you’re doing. Before you do anything else, tell someone—a friend, a family member or a neighbor—what happened. Talking about it could help you realize it’s a scam.

Emails

Be extra cautious about mysterious emails and embedded web links. Scam artists are experts at exploiting public anxieties with fake web links and emails often posing as government agencies, debt collectors or even your financial institution's fraud department. Scammers use fake web links as a Trojan horse to gain access to your financial information. Stay ahead of email scams; remain cautious and avoid clicking on links from unknown sources.

Phone calls

Is the number unfamiliar? Is it a local number? Is it a robocall? It’s important to screen unfamiliar calls. If you don’t know the person on the other end, don’t follow any automated prompts to press a number or speak. Experts recommend hanging up immediately. Scammers can spoof legitimate phone numbers to make it look like they are coming from a legitimate source, so even if it looks legitimate, it’s always good to proceed with caution. You also shouldn’t give personal information on the phone if they called you.

At Credit Human, we understand there are many people out there who will unfortunately try to take advantage of you. We want you to feel safe and secure knowing that you can count on us for the advice and resources you need whenever, wherever you shop. If you aren’t sure whether you’re being scammed, call us or stop into your closest Financial Health Center.