Protect Yourself from Fraud and Scams

• Phishing
  The most common type of scam.  Billions of phishing emails are sent daily.  Phishing is the most common way for criminals to first contact their victims.
• Scareware
  Ads that pop up on computers try to scare users.  The pop up says things like:
  • Your computer is infected
  • Illegal content has been detected on your device
  • Antivirus program is expired
• Vishing
  Voice Phishing.  Scammers reach victims by phone and try to defraud them.
• Smishing
  Using Text Messages to scam people.  They use links to fake webpages, or to steal login credentials.  They give false numbers to call.
• Malware
  Malicious software that may disable a computer or spy on the users
  • Keyloggers
    This software tracks everything entered using the keyboard.  It records usernames and passwords.
  • Ransomware
    This software encrypts the files on a computer making them unusable and unrecoverable unless a ransom is paid.
  • Data miners
    This software steals data from the computer and sends it to the cybercriminal
  • Browser password harvesters
    This software steals passwords saved in internet browsing software
• Malicious Websites
  These are websites that deliver bad software or steal usernames and passwords

There are many, many scams out there.  These are some of the most common, because the scammers know they work a lot of the time, and they have a lot of experience with them.  There are many variations of these scams, but many common scams fall into one of the following categories.

• Romance
• People online claim to want a relationship with someone.  They ask for money or talk about how their troubles are and try to get the victim to volunteer to send them money.  They claim to need money for travel to meet the victim, but always have an excuse why they did not show up.  The victims develop a sense of trust with the scammer and do not want to believe that they are being scammed. 
• Refund
• This scam starts with a fake invoice sent through email.  When the victim calls the number in the email to request a refund, the criminals request access to the victim’s bank account. They then transfer a large amount of money between the victim’s accounts, then claim that they made a mistake in refunding money and the difference needs to be sent back to them.
• Grandparent
• Scammers claim that the victims’ grandchildren have been arrested or pretend to be one of their grandchildren and need bail money or money for something else.  They then give instructions on where to send the payment.  They try to create a sense of urgency and fear to keep the victim from verifying the claim with their family members.
• Investment
• The criminals try to convince the victim to invest in no risk, high return investments.  The money invested by the victim is then stolen.
• Prize
• Scammers claim you have won a large amount of money through a lottery, or other contest.  They just need a fee to send you the prize.  They keep coming up with excuses as to why the prize has not arrived and why they need more money.
• Arrest threats
• The victim is told that they have violated some law or regulation and are going to be arrested unless they send money immediately.  
• Government agencies
• The criminal pretends to be from a government agency such as the IRS, Social Security Administration, or police department.  They claim that there is a problem with their benefits, or the victim owes money.  Scammers can be very threatening in these situations to scare their victims into making a payment.
• Loans
• Loans are promised with no credit check, the victim just needs to send a processing fee.  Once the fee is paid, the loan is never received.  
• Selling / buying scam
• When selling something online, the scammer asks for your payment account, then claims to have sent the money.  They may send a fake confirmation email to the victim’s email address.  The seller ships the goods without ever receiving payment.  
• Criminals also post ads for goods or services online.  These deals often seem too good to be true, and they almost always are.  The victim sends payment, and the goods are never shipped.  
• Counterfeit check
• The victim receives a check in the mail with instructions to cash it and send back some of the funds to the scammer.  The check is always counterfeit and the victim is liable for cashing or depositing the check. 

• Watch for people pretending to be from an organization you know
• Banks
• Government agencies
• Law enforcement agencies
• Someone claiming there is a problem or a prize
• Someone trying to pressure you to act immediately
• They try to create a sense of urgency or fear to make you act without thinking
• Someone trying to get you to pay in an unusual way
• Wires
• Once a wire transfer is sent, it usually cannot be recalled
• Gift Cards
• Bitcoin
• Payment Apps
• They keep making excuses as to why rewards or refunds have not arrived 
• Claims that seem too good to be true
• Government agency claims
• Verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a government official
• Something just doesn’t seem right
• Trust your feelings if something seems off

• Never give your passwords to anyone for any reason
• Use multi-factor authentication whenever available
• Multi-factor authentication is using a device such as your cell phone to get a code to verify your identity.
• Never give out security or multifactor authentication codes to anyone for any reason
• Never let anyone on your computer
• Do not install remote access software such as TeamViewer, LogMeIn, or AnyDesk.
• These programs give them complete access to your computer.  
• Never buy gift cards or Bitcoin to pay anyone
• This is a sure sign of a scam.  Legitimate companies would never accept payment in this way.
• Don’t trust people you don’t know asking for any money
• Never ship goods you are selling without verifying that payment has been received through a legitimate payment channel.  Never send payment for goods without verifying the legitimacy of the seller. 
• Verify claims.  Do not use numbers given to you by the scammer or in emails.  Use published trusted phone numbers to verify claims.

• Immediately stop all contact with the scammer
• Hang up the phone
• Block texts
• Do not make any more payments
• Beware of other additional scammers 

• Secure your financial accounts
• Report compromised accounts to the financial institutions they come from.  See if the fraudulent transactions can be canceled or reversed.
• Notify the credit bureaus.  Ask them to add a fraud alert.  A freeze can be placed on your credit if necessary.  

• Equifax
  https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/
  (800) 525-6285

• Experian
  https://www.experian.com/fraud/center.html#content-01
  (888) 397-3742

• TransUnion
  https://fraud.transunion.com/fa/fraudAlert/landingPage.jsp
  (800) 680 -7289 

• Secure your computer
• If scammers accessed, or had you installed any software on your computer, you may need to seek the assistance of computer repair technicians to remove malware and viruses.  

• Change your account passwords
• If any passwords were given out, or the scammers accessed your computer, change those passwords.  Make sure to use strong, unique passwords for each account.
• Report the scam based on the nature of the scam
• Report the scams to the appropriate agencies such as: 
• Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
• Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
• Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.
• Indiana consumer protection:  Scam complaints can be reported to the Indiana Consumer protection Division at www.indianaconsumer.com 
• Better Business Bureau (BBB): Reporting to the BBB Scam Tracker can help others become aware of scams that may be circulating in your local area.

• Many other online sources are available to learn about scams and fraud.  Please see the following resources to learn more about scams and how to respond to them.

• https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety
• https://www.usa.gov/scams-and-fraud
• https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/fraud/
• https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/
• https://www.cisa.gov/be-cyber-smart/report-incident