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Next year, resolve to protect yourself from scams that can damage your finances and reputation. Ring in 2024 with some smart resolutions to protect your personal information.
Stay informed of the latest scam trends
Fraudsters continue to change their tactics. Stay informed by:
- Following reliable news sources.
- Subscribing to scam alert newsletters.
- Staying connected with local law enforcement agencies.
The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be to identify and avoid scams.
Think carefully before sharing personal information
Phishing is one of the main ways that scammers attempt to trick people into providing personal information. Pay close attention to emails or messages asking for your username, password or other personal information.
Scammers pretend to be from familiar organizations to gain your trust. Stay alert when receiving unsolicited calls that claim to be from banks, government agencies or other well-known companies.
When in doubt, contact the organization directly through official channels to verify that the request is real before sharing any personal information or making payment.
Use strong passwords
Create strong, unique passwords that use upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Don’t use passwords that are easy to guess like birthdays or names.
Consider using a password manager to generate unique passwords and securely store them for each of your online accounts.
Be savvy with QR codes
QR codes are increasingly popular in restaurants, on parking meters, in emails and on social media.
Scammers have noticed. They are physically placing fake QR codes on top of official ones or creating fake QR codes on social media advertisements to get access to your personal information.
Never scan random QR codes. If the QR code looks odd or altered, do not scan it.
Protect your social media profiles
Take a moment to review the privacy settings on your social media platforms and limit the amount of personal information you share publicly.
Fraudsters may use your social media posts to personalize scams or get access to your accounts without your permission. Regularly check your friends list and remove any unfamiliar or suspicious accounts.
As we welcome the new year, let’s make protecting ourselves against scams a top priority. We can significantly reduce the risk of being scammed by staying informed, being alert and careful, and safeguarding our accounts. We wish you a safe and secure year ahead.
Watch the video below to learn how to identify important red flags.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Every day criminals attempt to obtain personal information or money from unsuspecting people by impersonating government employees. They might call, email, text, write, or message you on social media claiming to be from the Social Security Administration or the Office of the Inspector General. They might even use the name of a person who really works there, and might send a picture or document as proof.
Understanding the signs of a scam allows you to avoid being scammed. You knowing the signs and reporting the scam, it helps us stop the scammers. Be on the look-out for these red flags that probably mean the message is a scam.
He said he was from the Social Security Administration, and sent a copy of his badge to prove it. They also threatened to suspend my Social Security number.
The imposters may sound legit, but know it is a scam. Because Social Security would never suspend your Social Security number or send photographs of federal credentials or badges. It’s illegal.
I felt pressured to act immediately. She said there is a problem with my account.
Social Security will never pressure you to take immediate action, including sharing personal information.
They told me to pay with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or to mail cash.
Social Security will never ask you to pay with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or by mailing cash.
They demanded secrecy and said that I couldn’t tell anyone.
Social Security would never demand secrecy.
I got a direct message from Social Security on social media. When I called the number, they answered as Social Security Administration Department?
Social Security would never direct message you on social media or ask that you send a direct message.
They threatened to seize my bank account.
Social Security would never threaten to seize your bank account.
They wanted personal information and a payment so I could get my cost of living increase. They said they would arrest me and use legal action against me if I didn’t pay them right away.
Social Security will never threaten you with arrests or legal action because you don’t agree to pay money immediately. And cost of living adjustments are automatic, and don’t require you to do anything.
The message had spelling errors and really poor grammar. The email had a link that just didn’t look right.
Always be cautious when you see spelling errors and bad grammar. And Social Security would never ask you to use a link that doesn’t have SSA.gov in it.
We hope this has helped you quickly spot scammers. If you receive a call, email, text, or message on social media that seems suspicious, report it right away at oig.ssa.gov.