One of the worst things that can happen to you is that you find yourself the victim of fraud. Whether this be because of someone acting to be a business your regularly buy from or a new business that you find yourself checking out, there are many ways that criminals can engage you in fraudulent activity. And this can lead to tons of personal information being stolen from you and even money taken from your bank account. Keep reading down below to learn more about how you can protect yourself and your bank account from fraud.
1. Spot Those Imposters
When you have an unexpected request for money or other information from somebody that you trust, this is something that you should watch out for. Imposters will normally cloak themselves behind the identity of someone that you trust, like a government official or a family member. If things seem a bit weird for you when someone you trust is asking for a large sum of money, then this is most likely a fraud.
2. Do Online Searches
One of the best ways that you can avoid frauds and scams is to type the name of the company that you are looking into, followed by “scam” or “fraud”. You will get a lot of returns back regarding this company and whether or not other people have been scammed by them.
3. Information Is The Key
Information plays an important role when one search for you while it is also very important that you will keep your information safe. Post only those information online which you felt relevant. “Don’t fall easily when anyone requests the information from you,” said Reena Choudhary, Library Attendant, Kurukshetra University from India.
4. Don’t Believe Your Caller ID Right Off the Bat
Many fraudulent criminals can easily manipulate caller ID information on your phone to appear like they are calling from a trusted phone, like that of your personal injury attorney Lincoln NE. Never trust caller ID up front and always ask for information when someone is calling and requesting something.
5. Never Pay Upfront Just for A Promise
One of the worst things that you can do in terms of scams is to give someone money upfront for a promise of something in the future. No matter whether this is a job offer or a mortgage, this is something that should scream “scam” right in your face.
6. Think About How You Pay
If someone is asking you to pay for something over MoneyGram or some other wire transfer service, then that’s something that should be a red flag for you. Most trusted companies and officials would never have you pay through such methods.
7. Talk to Someone
Before you give a con artist money or some other information, be sure to talk to someone you trust about it. This is especially important if they are threatening you for this money or information. You should never be afraid to reach out and ask for help when you need it.
8. Don’t Fall for Those Robocalls
If you answer the phone and find yourself on the phone with a recorded robocall, then you should just go ahead and hang up. Technically, these are illegal and you should never trust them or give money after the recording.
9. Think Hard About Those Free Trials
Make sure to look into the cancellation policy of a company that wants to give you a free trial of a product or service. Most of the times, these free trials will end and the company will charge you for the service.
10. Don’t Deposit a Check and Wire That Money Back
You never want to deposit a fake check to the bank. You are going to be responsible for that check if the bank determines that it’s a fake.
11. There Are Free Scam Alerts You Can Take Advantage Of
And of course, the last thing that you can do is make yourself as aware as possible for these scams. There are free scam alerts that you can sign up for that will give you the knowledge about what frauds to watch out for.
When it comes to fraud, this is something that affect absolutely everyone. You never want to be the victim of fraud, so make sure to use the above tips to keep yourself safe.
