Keep your accounts and personal information safe.  Here’s some info about recent scams that have been circulating:

 

Can you deposit this for me?

A fraudster asks you to deposit a check into your bank account with the promise you can keep a portion of the funds. These checks are either counterfeit or sourced from illegal activity (money laundering) You could easily lose money if you cash the check for them or even become unknowingly involved in a crime.

 

Donations Please

Especially during times of crisis or political events, scammers increase their efforts to take advantage of people’s interest to support a cause. It’s not just the funds they are after, it’s also the personal information you give out when you make a donation which puts your account information at risk. Check with FTC.gov before you hand out any money or giver personal information and make sure your contributions reach their intended cause.

 

Confirm your Account

Fraudsters may pose as your bank or other account holder and ask for information which allows them to access your account — they may email, text, or call you and it may look legitimate. Remember the first rule, your account holders will never ask you for private information this way – Always log into your account on a secure website to check any messages or initiate account assistance.

 

I’ll take gift card payments

Some Scammers pretend to be someone they’re not to convince you to pay with a gift card (money that can’t be traced). Legitimate companies or government agencies would not make this request.

 

 

keep your accounts safe

• If you receive a one-time pass-code you didn’t request… delete it, check your account and change your password! Never give the code to anyone who contacts you for it.

 

• Don’t open or use a personal bank account to deposit or transfer funds for someone else.

 

• Offers such as “get rich quick” or “easy money” tactics are schemes… If it’s too good to be true, it’s a scam – steer clear.

 

• Only use known websites addresses to access businesses online. When checking out a new online shop, do a search for the stores name + reviews to see how much business they have done in the past and if they are legit.

 

• Always verify any phone, text or email contacts are legitimate before sharing information especially if you need to share information such as an account number, security word, PIN, User ID or password.

Make sure you and your family’s ID is protected 24/7 with Forest’s RapID Protection Plan. It’s only $7.99/month for a family plan with up to 1M in coverage. See more Here: Identity Protection | Forest Security