In this day and age, it is to easy to become a victim of fraud. With that said, you can have a much greater peace of mind armed the knowledge of what to look for.
WARNING SIGNS
Many warning signs of fraud are becoming more and more well known. We must constantly be alert of what to look for in our daily lives, particularly when browsing the internet.
- Sounds too good to be true.
No, there isn’t really a wealthy man looking for you to cash his check, and keep a large portion for yourself… but we can dream. - Pressures to act “right away”.
“But wait if you act now!” (We’ll only scam your for 80% of your worth!) - Guarantees success.
We’ve all seen them, and all been tempted by one an offer that relates to our own needs and wants. There is no guaranteed money making, weight loss, or sex appeal increasing pill, book, or recipe. All of the above either come natural or take hard work. - Doesn’t have the look or sound of a real business.
Yes, there are new start ups every day. However, (most Internet) start ups invest the capital to make sure they look legitimate. - Something just doesn’t seem or feel right.
Back away while you’re still OK. Your gut is often right, even when you don’t want it to be. Online fraud offers are strategically designed to make you overlook the fact that they don’t look legitimate, and make you feel emotionally connected instead of doubting them.
PLAY IT SAFE
- Never clink on a link inside an e-mail to visit a website. Rather type in the address in your browser instead.
Just because it says cnn.com/story, doesn’t mean it is headed in that direction. Instead, type the actual address in your browser window. Also, watch for fraudulent links that come in the form of yourbank.anysite.com – if anything comes between the known websites name “yourbank” and the “.com” then odds are you need to stay far away. - Only 2% of Identity theft occurs through the mail. Report online fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
Which is why we’re here to educate you. - Always retain receipts , statements and review monthly for accuracy.
While it may take an extra hour or two at the end of the month, it is well worth it for the peace of mind and security. - Shred confidential documents instead of simply discarding them in the trash, there are trash seekers out there.
Believe it or not, this is more common than you think. Business Owners: Pay special attention to this, dumpster diving thieves know that businesses deal with multiple people’s information all day long.
Internet Phising – This happens when you are directed to a page that looks like a website you know and trust, however, it is only a mask. After entering your information you are directed to the real website page (the one you already thought you were on). Letting the scammers scrape the info you just entered without you even realizing it, because you still wind up logged into the correct site.
Tip: Always look at the address bar in your browser to make sure it says “paypal.com” mybank.com” etc. To be truly safe, do NOT click links in emails, even if you think it is from the company you know. Instead type in the address to the site that you know is correct.
FRAUD FACTS
- Your bank will never e-mail or call you asking for you account numbers or pass codes.
This also includes other sites such as “PayPal” that deal with sensitive or financial information. - Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three national credit bureaus once a year from annualcreditreport.com.
- Check your bank statements monthly for unrecognized charges.
- Foreign lotteries are illegal in the U.S. you can’t win no matter what they say.
If you suspect you might be a victim of fraud call GOLD SHIELD ELITE for a free in depth consultation and analysis.