Ideas on how to avoid Common Scams

When it comes to fraud and scams, you can protect yourself by knowing what to look out for. Learn what to watch for and what steps to take to keep yourself, your loved ones and your money safe.

Do not give out your personal or financial information, especially for a request you were not expecting.

• Legitimate organizations do not call, ask or text you for information like your Social Security number, bank account info or credit card numbers.
• If you receive a text or email from a company you do business with and think it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any links. Do not call any numbers listed in the email or text. Contact the company in question on their verified phone number.

Resist the pressure to act immediately.

• A legitimate business or organization will give you time to think and decide. Anyone who pressures you for your personal or financial information is most likely a scammer.

Know how scammers tell you to pay

• Never pay someone who insists you pay with a gift card.
• Be wary when someone asks you to pay through a money transfer app or website.

Stop and talk to someone you trust.

• Before you do anything, take a moment to tell a friend, family member or even a trusted neighbor what has happened. Talking about a situation with someone could help you realize it is a scam.
• Scammers are professional liars and are extremely creative in their schemes. You should never feel embarrassed or ashamed to let someone know that you may have been scammed. Many instances of fraud can be minimized or prevented if the proper authorities are notified of the activity quickly.
• By reporting a scam or fraudulent behavior to the authorities and your financial institution, you may help others who are or have been involved in similar situations.

Block unwanted calls and text messages

• Block numbers that are unfamiliar. Ask for help if you are not able to do so.
• Scammers can use technology to change the phone number on your caller ID so the name and number you see may not be real.
• Consider calling your phone service provider to see what options they provide to minimize these types of calls.

Use technology to your advantage.

• At Stewart’s Federal Credit Union, we encourage all members with our mobile banking and a cell phone to take advantage of our text alert feature.
• Text alerts allow our members to verify all purchases and activity on their accounts and increase the chance to catch fraudulent behavior.
• Parameters can be set up online to send a text so you can track the use of your debit cards, paper checks and account activity.

Fraud and scams are an ongoing and growing problem. The best thing you can do is be diligent in educating yourself about fraud and scams. If something seems suspicious, it probably is.