Avoid falling victim to a scam by watching out for these red flags

Unexpected requests 

  • Be cautious of unsolicited messages or calls asking for your banking information, such as user name and password. Legitimate organizations might ask for your username if you’re engaged in a transaction or login process, but they will not ask for your password.
 

Urgency and threats 

  • Scammers often create a false sense of urgency, claiming that immediate action is required to prevent something bad from happening, such as freezing your account or fraudulent activity. Some scammers might claim that they have one of your family member’s as hostage and demand you pay a ransom, or that they have a warrant for your arrest and demand you pay to clear it. If this happens, hang up and call the police.
 

Unusual sender information 

  • Check the sender’s email address or phone number carefully. Scammers often use addresses or numbers that are slightly altered versions of legitimate ones.
 

Suspicious links 

  • Hover over links in emails or messages to look at the URL and verify it is legitimate before clicking on it.
 

Generic greetings and language 

  • Scammers often use generic greetings like “Dear Customer” in their mass emails or messages, which usually have spelling or grammatical errors.