Scammers Stay Scamming!

Preventing being scammed is easier than getting money back after a scam. Online scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, targeting people of all ages. But with some knowledge, you can protect yourself and your loved ones.

Stay Safe with These Tips

1. Never text back if the message was unexpected. Don’t even tell them they have the wrong number.
2. Hang up and call back. If you receive an unexpected phone call from a loved one, law enforcement, 
   or someone else claiming authority, hang up and call back through a number from your contacts list or verified through a web search.
3. Have a safe word.  Talk to your family and agree to a safe word or phrase that could be used if someone is distressed during a phone call. If you get an unsettling phone call from a loved one, ask for the safe word. Never post this information online or send it through text or email. 
4.  Refuse to pay the suspicious way. Scammers generally request payment in forms like gift cards, crypto, or wire transfers, so any request to pay these ways is a red flag. 
5.  Be wary on social media and dating apps. Know that scammers pose as genuine users on these platforms to connect with potential victims. 

Stay vigilant and protect your data!

If you see something, say something!

Aside from avoiding phishing and deleting it, the best thing you can do is report it.  This lets others know that the phishing is happening. In the case of reporting buttons, it will also often add to the algorithms that detect spam and phishing and help the email provider recognize this better in the future and catch it before it makes it to you. 

Reporting phishing may be different depending on your email provider.  The majority of the consumer mail providers, however, generally make it simple and straightforward.

Below you will find some links on how to report phishing attempts to some of the major email providers:

1. Gmail
2. Outlook
3. Yahoo
4. Protonmail