Don’t send money or share personal information in response to an unexpected request — whether it comes as a text, a phone call, email, or direct messages on social media.
Scammers can be convincing and find ways to make their stories seem real. They sometimes use information from social networking sites to convince you they know you. They might hack into a loved one’s email account to seem like it’s really someone you know.
Is a distressed friend or loved one in touch? Check it out. Look up that person’s phone number yourself and check-in. Call another family member to see what they know. Is there a real emergency?
Does it seem to be the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) calling? Hang up. The IRS will never contact you initially by phone. The real IRS won’t accept payment by prepaid debit cards, iTunes cards, gift cards, or wire transfers. They also won’t ask for a credit card over the phone. If you have tax questions, visit IRS.gov or call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
The same goes for the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA will not request payment by prepaid debit cards, iTunes cards, gift cards, or wire transfers.
Getting friend requests on social media from people that you are already friends with. This is a sign that your friend’s account may have been spoofed.
Does a caller say you’ve been selected to get a grant or other money from the government? Even if you’ve recently completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a real government agency won’t ask you to pay a processing fee related to FAFSA or a grant you have already been awarded.
Does the caller say your computer has a virus and they can help? Hang up. Never give someone who calls you out of the blue control of your computer or your credit card information.
Is your online romantic interest asking for money? Scammers make fake profiles and sometimes use photos of other people – even stolen pictures of actual military personnel. Scammers want your money in a way that makes it hard to get it back. They’ll tell you to wire money through a company like Western Union or MoneyGram, put money on gift cards (like Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, or Steam), give them the PIN codes, send money through a money transfer app, or transfer cryptocurrency.
