Jim Winsett of the BBB. Q. I see in the media that scams have been active for the summer. What advice may BBB offer to avoid being a victim of this activity?
A. Yes, scam activity has been very active this summer. BBB recently tried to assist a victim who lost $5,500 in the IRS scam. This person was intimidated by the fraudster and afraid they were going to be arrested. Without thinking or consulting with others, the person became a victim.
There are thousands of new scams every year, but if you can just remember these 10 things, you can avoid most scams and help protect yourself and your family.
1. Never send money to someone you have never met face-to-face. Please, just don’t do it. An immediate red flag is the person asking you to use wire transfer, a prepaid debit card, or a gift card. These items cannot be traced and are as good as cash to a fraudster.
2. Don’t click on links or open attachments in unsolicited email. Links can download malware onto your computer and/or steal your identity. Be cautious on emails that looks familiar; it could be fake.