Verify First!
Phish/Smish
Before sharing any information or sending any money, always be sure that you personally know the person requesting it. If you are unsure, verify with a family member or friend first!
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Always Research
Do an online search of a company or product name with relevant words like "scam" or "claim" or even phrases like "tax call" to review information shared.
Cons often mislead victims into providing personal or financial information by unsolicited phone calls, texts or emails. Never respond to or click on links or attachments in messages from someone you do not know.
Know What to Look for
Fraudsters use any means to contact victims to gain your trust and then ask for money. Never send money to someone you haven't met in person or for a payment of goods, services or purchases found online.
Never Send Money after a Check Deposit
Banks and credit unions are required to make funds from deposited checks available within days, but knowing if it's a fake check can take weeks. To avoid being responsible, funds from a deposited check should not be used until it has officially cleared.
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If someone you don’t know sends you a check and asks for money back, that’s a scam.
Fake checks come in many forms. They might look like business or personal checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, or electronic checks. Here’s what you need to know about fake check scams.
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In a fake check scam, a person you don’t know asks you to deposit a check — sometimes for several thousand dollars, and usually for more than you are owed — and send some of the money back, to them or another person. The scammers always have a good story to explain the over-payment. They might say they’re stuck out of the country, they need you to cover taxes or fees, you’ll need to buy supplies, or something else.
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For more information on the most current scams, visit:
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