Scams to Watch Out for in the New Year

You may think this new year scammers will finally give it up and get a real job, right? Unfortunately, scammers will always be around. That's why we need to keep ourselves on alert and know what a scams look like to avoid getting scammed. Below are a few scams you need to watch out for in the New Year.

Common Signs of a Scam:

   1. A Sense of Urgency 

  2. Obvious Spelling Mistakes

  3. Too Good to be True deals

  4. Asking for Personal Information

  5. Contact You Out of the Blue

1. Phishing Scams

The Oxford Dictionary definition of Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails or other messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
  For example, you receive an email claiming to be from Amazon. They tell you your account has been compromised and you need to enter your email and password through the link they provided so you can get your account back. You obviously don't want your account to be compromised, so you click on the link and enter your email address and password. You have just been hacked.
If you receive an email like this, stop and think for a second. Are there any spelling mistakes? Is there a clear sense of urgency? A good tip to remember is to hover over a link on an email to see where it will take you. Amazon's link will be just that, Amazon.com, but if it's a compromised link, it will have other letters and numbers that will give away its true intent. 
Remember, companies like Amazon, Walmart, or your Credit Union will never email you asking for personal information like yourpasswords. Always call the company or your credit union directly to verify that the email you received is real.

2. USPS Tracking / Shipping Error

A common scam during the holiday season! If you receive a text message that says something along the lines of "your shipping information is incorrect and we cannot deliver your package. Please click on this link to correct your information," DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK! 

    USPS will NEVER text you to let you know your shipping information is incorrect. They will just simply return your package to where it came from. If you receive this text message and you did not order anything, just delete the message. If you did order something and are expecting a package, call the company you ordered from and verify that everything is correct and that your package is on the way. You can also use the USPS tracking number the company provided you to track your package. 

3. Romance Scams

   In Romance Scams, scammers gain a fake identity and target unsuspecting victims through online dating websites or apps. They will make you "fall in love" with them so they can manipulate you in to giving them what they want. 

    If you are dating someone through a dating app, make sure you video call or meet up with them in person to make sure they are real. NEVER give them any money or send them any personal information, no matter how persistent they are. You have the option of blocking them before you fall into their scams. Keep yourself and your information safe!

4. Money Transfer Scams

    This scam can be carried out in various ways, whether that be threatening to expose your personal information if you do not send money, or by calling you pretending to be your financial institution and convincing you to wire them money. 

    If you receive any type of suspicious email, text, phone call, or voicemail demanding money, you need cut communication immediately. If someone is asking you to send money urgently, alarm bells should go off. 

Scams are everywhere and they target everyone. The only thing we can do to protect ourselves is to be aware of the common signs of a scam, as mentioned at the top of this article. When you can detect a scam, you save yourself the headache of having to deal with the aftermath. 

Please know that New Horizons CU will NEVER text, call, or email you asking for your personal information such as your Social Security Number, debit or credit card information, or any account passwords. If you receive any scam emails, texts, or calls claiming to be from New Horizons CU, please let us know immediately at 251-316-3240 or through marketing@newhcu.org.

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