Number of Scam Complaints on the Rise

Local banks have recently noticed a rise in the number of their customers complaining of being scammed.

Local bankers ask you to be very cautious of the countless number of scams and fraud that exist today.

If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.

Be suspicious of any unsolicited contact, whether through email, phone call, or the mail, especially those asking for personal information such as account numbers, credit cards, social security number, etc.

Common scams include:

• A notice of a family member or friend in need and requiring cash. This could be for medical bills, jail bonds, to cover travel expense, etc.
• Mystery shopping- You are told to buy products from a store and evaluate the service/quality and report back. They pay you more than you paid for the goods and request you to send back the difference.  ANY TIME you are promised cash and are requested to send some back, be VERY suspicious.
• A letter sent supposedly from a legitimate company stating an error with your account and for you to give them your information to correct it.
• Online dating- Oftentimes people you meet online are not who they say they are and could be involved in any number of illegal activities. If they ask for money, that’s a red flag.
• Fraudulent charities claiming to use your donations to help others.

Be wary of any emails that ask you to click on unfamiliar links, are sent at unusual times, and are from someone you don’t know. Anyone requesting you to send money by wire, especially if internationally, is cause for concern.

If anything seems unusual contact a local banker you trust to discuss it. It may be a known scam that we can help you avoid. The elderly are often targeted and estimates say they are defrauded out of almost $3 billion  annually.