What is a scam?

When a criminal attempts to steal your money or personal information.

Who is a scammer?

A criminal, often a persuasive liar, who will try to earn your trust. They will try to scare or coach you into getting what they want.

The 6 Red Flags of a Scam

• Tells you to keep it a secret
• Unexpected contact
• Tries to mess with your emotions
• Pushes you to respond fast
• Wants money through apps, gift cards, crypto
• Asks for personal or financial info

Be suspicious

• DON'T RUSH into any financial decision or action
• THINK TWICE if you're asked to send money up front
• ALWAYS MAKE SURE the person and the request are legit.
• DON'T CLICK on email/text links, pop-ups or unexpected downloads

Block scammers

• ENABLE CALL BLOCKING, and don't answer spam calls or texts
• MAKE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRIVATE, and don't overshare online
• UPDATE YOUR APPS and the software on your devices

What to do if you're scammed

• Tell your bank, the police, and the FBI at ic3.gov
• Access the Better Business Bureau's Scam Survival Toolkit: bbb.org/ScamSurvival
• Tell your friends and family