Scammers and fraudsters are finding new ways to take advantage of people. With the holiday season around the corner, now is the time we may be the most vulnerable as we spend more than any other time of the year. Credit Human is here with some tips to protect yourself and loved ones from the stresses of fraud and financial scams.
 

Keep calm & keep checking

Financial health starts with making a habit of regularly viewing your credit card, debit card, and checking accounts—especially during the holiday season.
 

• 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.


• 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.

 

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?
 

• Verify. 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 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.


• Be skeptical. If you find yourself browsing a website 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. ​


• 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.

 

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.


• Stop and talk to someone you trust. Before you do anything else, tell someone — a friend, a family member, 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 & emails often posing as government agencies such as the CDC. 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? It’s important to screen unfamiliar calls. Is it a robocall? If you don’t know the person on the other end, don’t press any numbers and experts recommend hanging up immediately. 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 the community at a vulnerable time. We want you to enjoy the holidays, but most of all we want you to be safe and secure knowing that you can count on us for the advice and resources you need whenever, wherever—even while you shop. Wishing you and your family a healthy, happy and hopeful holiday season.