Fraud

Common scams range in style, content, and purpose such as "romance" scams on dating apps or "grandparent" scams targeted toward seniors. Most of these scams have common signs that they are fraudulent. 

Common signs to consider:

• If an offer seems too good to be true, it most likely is.
  • Be cautious with any message offering to place money into your bank account.
• Is there a sense of urgency in the message?
• Are consequences noted if you don't act quickly? 
• Is the message asking you to provide or update personal information?
  • Social Security Number
  • Bank Account Details
  • Passwords
• Requesting payment through unconventional means.

Fraudsters send emails appearing to be from someone you know or a reptuable organization in an effort to gain personal information from unsuspecting victims. 

How to spot a phishing email:

• Check for spelling mistakes and grammer errors within the email. 
• Review the "From", and "To", areas within the message.
• Hover your mouse arrow over the name in the "From" column. By doing so, you will be able to tell if the email is from a recognizable domain that is linked to the actual sender name. 
• If you notice that your email address is being identified as the "From address", this is a sign of a fake email message.
• Be wary if the "To" field reflects a large list of recipients. Legitimate emails will be sent directly to you and you only.
• You may see “undisclosed recipients” and this is something to keep an eye on as well. It could be a valid send, but double check by using the other tips identified.
• Pay attention to the email in the reply field. Does it match the sender of the original email? 
• Most legitimate messages will be a mix of text and images. A poorly constructed phishing email may be missing images, including the company’s logo. If the email is plain text and looks different than what you’re used to seeing from that sender, go with your gut feeling and delete the message.
• Be careful when clicking on attachments or links in email.
• If it’s unexpected or suspicious for any reason, don’t click on it.
• Double check the URL of the website the link takes you to.
• Roll the mouse pointer over a link to reveal its actual destination before clicking on it. 
• Make sure the link uses encryption (https://).
• Is this the first time the sender has included an attachment? Most organziations will not send out attachments via email.
• High risk attachments file types include: .exe, .scr, .zip, .com, .bat.
• It is a recommended best practice to always open a new window and go to the site directly without using the email link provided in an email.

Criminals attach a card-skimming device to an ATM or payment processing terminal to steal card information. This can be done with skimmers that read the magnetic strip or computer chip on the card, small cameras to record finger movement when entering passwords, electronic equipment directly installed into the ATM or payment terminal, or an overlay device on top of the keyboard area to record PINs.

Machines in public areas such as airports, gas stations, or stores are the most vulnerable.

How to protect yourself:

• Check all ATMs and other card-reading devices before use.
• Use ATMs inside buildings or in high-traffic areas that are harder to target.
• Opt for credit (or use your debit card as credit) to prevent access to your PIN.
• If an ATM looks suspicious, don’t use it. Report it to the bank or police.

Smishing combines the terms "SMS" and "phishing" to represent phishing scams presented through text message rather than email formats. A fraudster can disguise a text message to also appear to be from a trusted source. 

How to spot a smishing text:

• Verify the source (email, phone number, etc.) by comparing to prior messages or finding the correct number on the source's website.
• Consider the tone of the message and be wary of:
  
  • A sense of urgency
  • A need to act quickly
  • Dire consequences

Fraudsters make their phone number appear on Caller ID to be a trusted organization. These scammers use an automated dialing software to set up these calls and millions are made over the internet in a matter of minutes. 

How to protect yourself:

• Utilize robocall blocking.
  • Talk to your phone provider to learn more.
• Consider adding your phone number to the "Do Not Call" list.