SAN ANTONIO – Scams don’t stop for a pandemic, heavy winter weather, or anything in between. In fact, you’ll likely see scammers trying to take advantage of disaster situations.
During National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission is offering some guidance on what you should be looking out for to avoid becoming a victim.
Scammers have lots of fake stories. They’ll tell you about early access to vaccines, that you’ve won a prize for a contest you never entered, that your computer needs tech support you never asked for, or they’ll play an online love interest.
These stories are a dime a dozen. Whatever they may be, the FTC says scammers only want you to pay up or share your personal information.
Remember, no legitimate company or organization will ever ask you to pay with a gift card, money transfer or pre-paid debit card. And no government agency will ever call, email or text to ask you for money, your Social Security number or your banking information.
The FTC recommends sharing these tips with friends or relatives to make sure they’re informed if they get a suspicious call.
If you see a scam, report it by visiting reportfraud.ftc.gov.
For more “Money: It’s Personal” stories from GMSA@9, click here.
