How can you protect yourself from scams?

Here are some tips from Anand and the FBI to protect yourself:

⬤ Phone numbers can easily be faked or spoofed. Even if the number matches one you know or that is programmed into your phone, don’t assume the call is really coming from that number. Hang up and call the number you know – and not one the caller gives you.

⬤ It is better to have an online presence than none at all. Some people don’t want to be online or aren’t comfortable, like senior citizens, said Anand. However, having an internet presence is good so you can be alerted to any fake profiles or suspicious activity.

⬤ If you are being asked to move money to “protect it” or to buy gift cards, be suspicious. “If they’re playing on your fears and insecurities, especially with urgency, that should be a definite warning.” ⬤ If you’ve been the victim of a scam, be careful of follow-up scammers offering “recovery services.” Once you’re a victim, you’re targeted for further scams, Anand said.

⬤ Artificial intelligence is making scams easier. AI can be used to clone voices familiar to you to trick you into thinking someone is in trouble. Scammers can also use AI to produce realistic documents that are part of their scheme.

⬤ Don’t be duped by official-looking documents. Consumers should always try to verify questionable correspondence with a government agency or member of law enforcement by a separate means – such as contacting them directly using the information found on an official website, not one on the correspondence sent, the FBI said. Scammers create false-front websites made to look like government sites.

⬤ Stop and report the crime. Consumers who are asked to wire, pay, or transport large amounts of cash or cryptocurrency to avoid arrest, jail time, or fix a tech support or some type of business-related account issue should cease communications, and instead contact the FBI directly by filing a report online at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (https://www.ic3.gov).