Use an action plan to avoid scams

Scammers tell lots of different stories to try to get your money or personal information. They might lie and say you owe the government money. Or pretend to be your financial institution and say your account’s been hacked. They might claim someone in your family had an emergency or that your computer has a virus. Or they might tell a different lie.

Scammers tell you all these things to try to get you to panic. They want you to hurry and do what they say before you have time to think, check out their story, or reach out to someone who might intervene.

Use an action plan to help protect yourself from scams. Know what to do if you get an unexpected call, text, email, or social media message asking for money or personal information.

Know the signs of a scam:

• Scammers contact you and say there’s a problem. They might lie and say you owe money and say your account’s been hacked.
• Scammers tell you to hurry. They don’t want you to have time to think.
• Scammers tell you how to pay — often only with a gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app. Once you pay these ways, it’s hard to get your money back.

If you feel pressured, pause. Talk with someone you trust before you act.

An Action Plan also has you list contact information for companies you do business with — like your credit card company, financial institution, and favorite online shopping sites — so you’ll know how to reach them directly if you’re worried there’s a problem with your account.

Scams can affect anyone at any time. So, make your own action plan. Post it on your fridge or keep it near your phone or computer. Then help others in your life make one.

Check out this sample action plan.

Source:ftc.gov