It seems that scammers and swindlers never sleep! They seem to be working 24/7 to steal every dollar we have ever earned. Beyond stealing someone’s identity, these scoundrels get more creative all the time. They obviously have no compassion. Rather than pausing their devious actions during these turbulent times they have upped their game. Some new scams related to COVID-19 include:
- Offering face masks but never delivering
- Pretending to sell health & safety, cleaning and paper products but not delivering
Other scams have been around for some time and continue to run rampant. These include:
- Impersonating Microsoft personnel & offering to help cure viruses they have detected on your computer
- Pretending to be from your bank and needing to access your account information due to a breach
- Threatening you of action by the IRS
- False mystery shopping job offers
- Romance Scams
- Crowd Funding Scams
- Pretending to raise funds for police & fire
The best way to deal with all of these is to not take any calls from unknown sources. The official reps from all will not ever call you and ask for information. Do not order from unknown sources. Be careful of social media. Although it can be wonderful for staying connected with family and friends, it can be like opening your front door to nefarious strangers or leaving your house and car unlocked. Remember that trust may be earned.
Stay safe and be a savvy consumer!
