Common Types of Scams
Scammers constantly find new ways to steal money, from blackmail to romance scams to selling nonexistent items.
Here are some of the most common types of fraud and scams.
Blackmail Scams
A blackmailer’s mission is to scare you into sending them money by threatening to distribute private contact content from your computer or phone, or shared with them over email, text, or social media, that could embarrass you.
They may ask you to wire them money or send it using a mobile app, a gift card, or cryptocurrency.
Sometimes the scammers are strangers, and other times they might be someone you met online and thought you could trust.
What to do: Try to stay calm despite the blackmailer’s intimidation and high-pressure tactics.
Stop communicating with him and don’t pay them.
Keep all messages as evidence to help law enforcement.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to deal with this alone.
Charity scams
A charity scam is when a thief poses as a real charity or makes up the name of a charity that sounds real to get money from you.
The scams often increase during the holiday season as well as after natural disasters and emergencies, such as storms, wildfires, or earthquakes.
Be careful when a charity calls to ask for donations, especially ones that suggest they are following up on a donation pledge you don’t remember making.
What to do: Ask for detailed information about the charity, including address and phone number.
Look up the charity through their website or a trusted third-party source to confirm that the charity is real.
Debt Collection Scams
Debt collectors may contact you to collect on legitimate debts you owe.
But some scammers pose as debt collectors to get you to pay for debts you don’t owe.
What to do. Ask the debt collector for their company name, mailing address, and information about the debt they say you owe.
Be on the lookout for threats of criminal charges or other warning signs.
Debt Settlement and Debt Relief Scams
Debt settlement or debt relief companies often promise and renegotiate, settle, or in some ways change the terms of the debt you owe to a creditor or debt collector.
Dealing with debt settlement companies can be risky and could leave you in further debt.
What to do: Avoid doing business with a company that guarantees they can settle your debts, especially those in charge upfront fees before performing any services.
Instead, you can work with a reputable nonprofit credit counseling program that can help you work with your creditors.
Grandparent Scams
If you get a call from someone who sounds like a grandchild or relative asking you to wire transfer money or send gift cards to help them out of trouble, it could be a scam.
Artificial intelligence has made it easier for scammers to clone voices and alter images to make it seem like someone you know needs help.
Meant to play on your emotions, this scam is among those commonly used a target older adults, especially during the holidays.
What to do: Be aware of a caller who insists on secrecy, and contact your relative yourself to verify the story.
If you can’t reach them, try to get in touch with them through another trusted person, another family member, or their friends.
Lottery or Prize Scams
In a lottery or prize scam, the scammers may call, text, or email you today that you’ve won a prize through a lottery or sweepstakes and then ask you to pay an upfront payment for fees and taxes.
What to do: Avoid providing any personal or financial information, including credit cards or Social Security numbers, to anyone you don’t know.
Also, never make an upfront payment for a promised prize, especially if they demand immediate payment.
Man-in-the-Middle Scams
Man-in-the-middle scams are a type of cyber attack where a scammer tricks you into connecting to a fake network or website or clicking on a fake QR code, text, email link, or attachment.
Once you do, the scammer can see your every move and still gather information like your account logins and passwords, financial data, or other sensitive personal information.
The scammers can also impersonate another person you’re communicating with, like your real estate or settlement agent in a mortgage closing scam, so that you think you’re sending a payment to the person you know when it’s going to the scammer.
What to do: Avoid public wireless networks and free charging stations in public places.
Don’t click on QR codes or links, or download attachments, in unsolicited text emails.
Carefully examine email addresses and website URLs, even if they appear to be from someone you know.
Before you send money, verify that the person you know is the one requesting it and that you have the correct payment information.
Go to your bank immediately and have all your accounts restricted!
FTC Impersonation Scams
How to avoid this scam
Don’t wire money or use gift cards, or a payment app to pay someone who says they are with the government.
Scammers insist you can only pay these ways because it’s hard to track that money, and just as hard to get back.
They’ll take your money and disappear.
Don’t give your financial or personal information to someone who calls, texts, emails, or messages on social media and says they are with the government.
If you think a caller’s message could be real, stop.
Hang up the phone and call the government agency directly at a number you know is correct.
If the call is a robocall, don’t press any numbers. Pressing numbers could lead to more calls.
Don’t trust your caller ID. Your caller ID might show the government agency’s real phone number or name, like the Social Security Administration.
But caller ID can be faked. It could be someone calling anywhere in the world.
Don’t click on links and unexpected emails, texts, or social media messages.
Scammers send emails and messages that look like they’re from a government agency, but it was designed to steal your money and personal information.
Don’t click on any link, and don’t pass it on to others. Just delete the message.
If you made the mistake of opening unexpected emails, just admit to doing it so the experts can help you.
Social Security Impersonation Scams
This scam: you get a call, email, text, or message on social media that says it’s from the Social Security Administration.
They say your Social Security benefits will end, or your Social Security number will be suspended, unless you pay immediately.
They insist the only way you can fix a problem is the pay them with a gift card, a wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app.
They may even threaten that you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay.
But it is not a Social Security Administration call.
Your benefits will be suspended, and you won’t owe anything.
It’s a scammer trying to get your money or personal information to steal your identity.
What to know: The real Social Security Administration won’t threaten you or suspend your Social Security number.
The real Social Security Administration won’t call, email, text, or message on social media and ask you to pay.
No government agency will demand you wire money or pay with gift cards, or make a payment.
What to do: Ignore calls, emails, texts, and messages on social media that claim to be from Social Security amid frustration and ask you to pay, confirm your Social Security number, or give other information.
The real agency will never call, email, text, or message on sources media to men to demand money or information.
If you’ve already made a mistake and given out information, go straight to the bank.
IRS Impersonation Scams
The scam: The caller says they are from the IRS, and you owe taxes that you have to pay immediately.
They might threaten that you’ll be arrested or deported if you don’t pay right away.
Or that your driver’s license will be revoked.
The caller may have some information about you, including your Social Security number or federal tax ID number.
Scammers want to make you think it’s the IRS calling.
But if it’s not the IRS, it’s a scam.
What to know: The IRS will never email, text, or message you on social media with threats or demands that you pay.
The IRS will not call you about your taxes unless you set up an appointment. If you owe taxes, the IRS will contact you by mail.
The IRS does have private debt collectors who might call you, but only after you have received two letters in the mail about your debt: one from the IRS, followed by one from the debt collector.
A private debt collector working on behalf of the IRS will never ask you to pay over the phone.
The IRS has guidance on private debt collection and answers to frequently asked questions.
The IRS and its debt collectors won’t demand that you wire money or pay with gift cards or a payment.
Neither the IRS nor its debt collectors will threaten to arrest you.
What to do: If you get an unexpected call from someone claiming to work for the IRS, and you haven’t gotten any notification in the mail that your account is being placed for collection, hang up.
It’s a scammer calling you.
Don’t call back the number the caller gave you or the one that appeared on your caller ID.
Medicare Impersonation Scams
The scam: You get a call, email, text, or message on social media from someone saying they work for Medicare.
They asked for your Medicare, bank account, or credit card numbers for your new Medicare card.
But it’s a scam.
Medicare sends cards to you automatically for free. You never have to do or pay anything.
In another variation of the scam, the caller says they need your Medicare number for medical equipment claims that you don’t remember making.
This is also a scam. Medicare impersonators want to steal your Medicare number and file fraudulent claims for benefits.
What to know: Real government agencies won’t contact you to ask for your Medicare number or other personal information, unless you’ve called Medicare at 800-633-4227 and left a message.
Medicare won’t call, email, text, or message on social media to sell you anything or tell you to pay for your Medicare card.
What to do:
If you get an unexpected email, call, text, or message on social media from someone claiming to be affiliated with Medicare, don’t respond.
That’s a scammer.
Don’t call back the number they gave you, and don’t use the number on your caller ID or the message.
Call Medicare at 800-633-4227 for questions about your benefits, Medicare number, or Medicare card, or to report anything suspicious.
There are thousands of new scams every year, and it is sometimes challenging to keep up with all of them!
However, if you can’t just remember these 10 tips, more than likely you will be able to avoid most scams and protect yourself and your family.
- Never send money via gift card or a wire transfer to someone you have never met face-to-face.
- Avoid clicking on links are open attachments in unsolicited emails.
Links, if clicked, will download malware onto your computer, a smartphone, a tablet, or whatever electronic device using at the time, allowing cyber thieves to steal your identity.
- Don’t believe everything you see.
Scammers are great at mimicking official seals, fonts, and other details.
Just because his website or email looks official does not mean that it is. Caller ID is commonly faked.
- Double-check that your online purchases are secure before checking out.
Look for HT PS in the URL and a small lock icon on the address bar.
Better yet, before shopping on the website, make certain you are on the site you intended to visit.
Check out the company first at BBB.org.
Read reviews about the quality of the merchandise and make sure you’re not buying cheap and/or counterfeit goods.
- Use extreme caution when dealing with anyone you’ve met online.
- Never share personally identifying information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited, whether it’s over the phone, by email, on social media, or even through your front door.
This includes banking and credit card information, your birthdate, and Social Security/social insurance numbers.
Protect you and your family from identity theft.
- Resist the pressure to act immediately.
Shady actors typically try to make you think something is scarce or a limited-time offer.
They want to push their victims to make a decision right now before even thinking through it, asking family members, friends, or financial advisors.
Sometimes they will advise against contacting anyone and just trust in.
While high-pressure sales tactics are also used by some, it is typically a good idea to make an important decision quickly.
Know what to look for when you’re spotting a scam.
- Use secure and traceable transactions.
Do not pay by wire transfer, prepaid money card, gift card, or another non-traditional payment method.
Say no to cash-only deals, high-pressure sales tactics, upfront payments, overpayments, and handshake deals without a contract.
Read all of the small print on the contract and make sure you understand what the terms are.
- Whenever possible, work with local businesses.
Ask that they have proper identification, licensing, and insurance, especially contractors who would be coming into your home or anyone dealing with your money or sensitive information.
- Be cautious about would you share on social media and only connect with people you know, and check your privacy settings on all social media and online accounts.
The term pig butchering is derived from the idea that scammers fan up their victims with the promise of lucrative returns before slaughtering them for their money.
The scam often begins with a seemingly innocent chat initiated by a random person.
What is the pig butchering strategy?
Pig butchering scammers often use fake images and impressive, yet fraudulent investment portfolios to convince their victims of the legitimacy of their schemes.
Once victims are hooked and have invested a significant amount of money, the scammers suddenly disappear, leaving victims with no way to recover their funds.
This is a very common scam, and the victims who get scammed generally lose all of their money, including their investment accounts.
There have also been reports of thieves targeting outdoor USPS mailboxes, stealing checks, and washing them to alter the payee and amount, potentially draining the victim’s bank accounts, according to local police.
Here’s a breakdown of the situation and recommended precautions:
The criminal trend: Thieves are stealing checks from outdoor mailboxes and then washing them to change the payee and the amount, leading to financial fraud.
The police advice:
Avoid outdoor mailboxes, especially after pickup hours.
Use the mail slot inside the post office.
Use a gel pen when writing checks (they are harder to wash).
Don’t use window-over-window envelopes (they can reveal the contents).
Consider electronic payments right (online banking apps)
Be aware of using debit cards, ATMs, and POS skimming.
The United States Secret Service is the lead US agency tasked with investigating access device fraud, a crime that affects consumers, businesses, and financial institutions.
Skimming crimes account for hundreds of millions of dollars in losses annually to victims.
Every year, the Secret Service responds to hundreds of ATM and skimming incidents by working closely with financial institutions and other local law enforcement agencies.
Skimming incidents involve criminal groups installing hidden electronic devices that record cardholder information at ATMs and point-of-sale terminals.
These incidents occur frequently at popular merchants such as pharmacies, gas stations, and grocery stores.
Criminals use the stolen (skimmed) debit or credit card data by reencoding it on other cards for unauthorized ATM withdrawals or high-end purchases.
Criminals may sell the stolen data from batches of cards to other groups.
To limit your risk of becoming an ATM skimming victim as much as possible, consider taking the following steps:
Utilize ATMs inside your financial institutions, interior bays with security cameras, or closest to the drive-up window.
These ATMs are harder targets for criminals.
Look for obvious signs of tampering at the ATM, such as inoperable/ broken lights, raised pin pads, loose edges, loose components, or stickers placed in usual locations.
Always shield your PIN entry with another hand as much as possible to prevent your PIN from being recorded by a pinhole camera.
