Online Scam Awareness

𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺?

Are you looking for health insurance? Make sure that’s exactly what you’re getting. Some dishonest marketers may make it seem like they’re selling health insurance when, in reality, you’re only getting a discount plan. Here’s what you need to know.

Scammers might lie to you, making you think you’re getting health insurance or convince you that a medical discount program offers the same coverage as health insurance, but at a much lower cost. They might also make you believe that the discount program they’re selling is widely accepted by medical providers, when that may not be the case at all.

If you’re looking for health insurance, make sure you’re buying:

Don’t make a decision on the spot. Take the time to review the details in writing before signing up. Scammers often try to pressure you into signing up quickly for a special deal. This rush to act is a red flag for a scam.
Verify the details of the plan. Is it health insurance or a medical discount program? Call your healthcare provider — and others on the plan’s list — to confirm. But make sure to do this before you sign up or pay any fees.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀?

Are you dreaming of a getaway in warm weather? Before you start planning, keep in mind that some scammers have set up websites advertising “free” or heavily discounted travel deals. Learn how to spot these fraudulent sites and other tricks designed to steal your money and personal information.

When browsing online, watch out for these scam red flags:

“Free” vacation deals — but you’re asked to pay fees or taxes to claim them.

Websites advertising luxury vacation packages at unbelievable prices you can’t find anywhere else.

Also, be cautious with emails. Scammers often send fake travel offers disguised as if they come from airlines or hotels you know, hoping you’ll click and visit their site. (By the way, these emails aren’t from the real companies.) If you click on them, the scammers will ask for your personal information in exchange for details on their “amazing” offers. If you share your info, they can steal your money or use your accounts for shopping.

To avoid falling for travel scams:

Do your research. Look up the travel website’s name with keywords like “scam,” “reviews,” or “complaints” before booking. Also, ask friends or family for recommendations of trustworthy travel sites.

Don’t click on links in strange emails or messages. Even if a travel deal looks like it’s from a familiar airline or hotel, double-check the URL before clicking. Instead, visit the company’s website directly to verify the offer. But remember to type the URL manually — never click a link.

Pay attention to how they ask you to pay. Never pay via wire transfer (like Western Union or MoneyGram), gift cards, or cryptocurrency. Any travel website asking for payment this way is likely a scam.

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝗮𝘀

In response to the devastating floods in Central Texas, many people are looking for ways to give and receive help. Unfortunately, scammers are also trying to exploit people’s goodwill. So, how can you ensure your donation goes to the right people in need and not into the hands of fraudsters?

𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 that have a proven track record in disaster response.
Before donating, do your own research on the charity — especially if the donation request was posted on social media. Check the charity’s information on Give.org from the Better Business Bureau or Charity Watch. Make sure you understand how your donation will directly benefit those the charity is committed to helping.

𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵, 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝘄𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆. These are common methods used by scammers to receive funds. If you decide to donate, paying by credit card offers better protection.

𝗕𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀. Keep in mind that donations raised through a crowdfunding campaign typically go to the campaign organizer, not directly to the people or cause it’s intended to support. Review the platform’s policies — do they have measures in place to verify posts requesting disaster relief? And remember, donations made through crowdfunding platforms are not tax-deductible.

Verify phone numbers before texting to donate. If someone asks you to donate via text, call the number listed on the charity’s official website to confirm you’re using the correct number for donations.
By taking these precautions, you can help ensure your contribution goes to those who need it most, without falling victim to fraud.

𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒕 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒎: 𝑨 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒖𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒕?

It’s likely that you’ve received a scam message about unpaid toll fees, or maybe you know someone who has. Scammers are now taking things even further by impersonating the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from states across the country. They claim you have an “overdue traffic ticket” and threaten to suspend your driving privileges (among other penalties) if you don’t pay. Here’s how this scam works:

You receive an unexpected message that looks like it’s from your state’s DMV, stating that you have an overdue traffic ticket. The message may include a link for payment and warns that if you don’t pay immediately, they will report you to the “DMV violation database,” suspend your vehicle registration, driver’s license, and driving rights, and even charge you an additional 35% service fee. The message might also threaten prosecution or damage to your credit score — but all of this is a scam designed to steal your money and personal information.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺:

Don’t click on any links in strange messages or respond to them. Scammers want you to react quickly and provide personal information before you realize it’s a scam. Take a moment to pause and discuss the message with someone you trust.
If you’re concerned, contact your DMV directly. Use a phone number or website that you know is legitimate — not the contact info in the message. This way, you can verify if there is any actual issue with your account.
By staying alert and cautious, you can avoid falling victim to this type of scam.

𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐦

Scammers are still pretending to be police officers, calling you to say you’ve missed jury duty and need to pay a fine. But now, some of them are taking it a step further, directing you to fake websites to enter your personal information — all to steal your money and data.

Here’s how the scam works:

It begins with a call that seems to come from a local police officer (but it’s not). They claim you missed jury duty (even though you probably didn’t) and threaten to arrest you unless you visit a website to pay the fine (which isn’t real).

The website looks official, with a URL that sounds legitimate and a government seal that appears authentic (but it’s all fake). The site will ask for your date of birth and Social Security number to “check the amount you owe.” They may demand you pay up to $10,000 on the site or direct you to a “government kiosk” (which doesn’t exist) to pay with cryptocurrency. But all of this is a scam.

Here’s what you need to know:

Real law enforcement officers will never call you and threaten arrest if you hang up. Even if the caller ID looks like it’s from your local police department, scammers can fake this too.
Only scammers will insist that you can only pay with cash, gift cards, payment apps, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer services like Western Union or MoneyGram.
If you get a call like this, just hang up.
Don’t fall for it — protect your personal information and your money!

Got a call from a Debt Collector? What rights do you have?

Imagine getting a call out of the blue, and the caller insists you owe money and threatens that you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay immediately. You have no idea what they’re talking about. What should you do?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that Global Circulation, Inc. (operating under names like Consumer Impact Recovery and Total Mediation Solutions) used illegal threats like this to scam thousands of people into paying debts they didn’t owe, totaling up to $9.6 million. As part of a settlement with the FTC, GCI will be banned from engaging in debt collection activities.

Here’s what you need to know:

Debt collectors cannot harass, lie, or treat you unfairly.

If you receive a call from a debt collector:

Know that you cannot be arrested or jailed for failing to pay a bill. There is a legal process for wage garnishment to settle debts. If the person contacting you says otherwise, it’s a warning sign that they may not be legitimate.
Before agreeing to pay anything, always ask for “verification” to ensure you actually owe the debt and that the amount is correct. If you still don’t recognize the debt — or if the amount seems wrong — you can dispute it by writing to the debt collector and requesting verification.
Remember, you have rights. If you feel the call is fraudulent or unfair, you have every right to question the legitimacy of the claim and take action to protect yourself.