11/02/2026
Protect Yourself From Scams
Fraud & Scams
In today’s digital world, scams are becoming increasingly common, and tactics are constantly evolving to take advantage of those who may not be looking out for them. To help keep you protected, we have come up with a few of the most common, current scams. Read on for some tips on how to identify and deal with them.
1. Text Scams
I, and I’m sure many of you, may have seen a recent increase in random texts coming from unknown numbers saying things like “Do you want to go golfing this weekend?” or “Why aren’t you responding? Are you at work?”, or even just a simple “How are you?”. Many of these messages are automatically sent to large numbers of people at once with one goal: Get someone to respond. Once someone responds, the scammer either tries to start a conversation with you, hoping that they will get some information out of you, sends a picture, which, once downloaded, can infect your device with malware aimed at discovering passwords, bank information, or other personal information, or a combination of both. In addition to this, once you respond, the scammer now knows that you have a working number, and the frequency of these texts could increase.
When you get one of these messages, follow three steps: delete, report, and block. Do not respond, and do not click on any links, files, or pictures that may have been sent. Even if it seems like it could be an honest wrong number, just don’t respond. Delete and block the number. You can also report the text by forwarding it to your phone provider; for example, for Verizon, you would forward it to 7726, or you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
2. Phone Scams
Phone scams involve fraudulent calls attempting to deceive individuals into providing personal information or making payments. Most of the time, the scammer will be pretending to be a bank or government organization such as the IRS or police departments.
To protect yourself from phone scams, do not provide personal or financial information over the phone, especially if you receive unsolicited calls. Legitimate organizations will never ask for sensitive information over the phone. You should also be wary of threats or pressure. Scammers often use threats or pressure tactics to coerce individuals into compliance. Hang up immediately if the caller uses aggressive language or demands immediate action.
Recently, with the expanded capabilities of AI, scammers can even spoof the voice of someone you know with just a few recordings. If it sounds like someone you know, but the request is unusual, that should be a big red flag. Hang up and call the person yourself using the number you have saved in your phone. You may also consider setting up a family password or passphrase that is only known by close family members to help protect against phone scams.
3. Email Phishing:
Email phishing scams involve deceptive messages that trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or financial details. The scammer usually tries to impersonate a legitimate person or company. The goal of the emails is usually for you to click a link or download an attachment that will let them install malware on your computer or collect personal information.
To protect yourself against phishing, you should:
a. Avoid clicking on links sent by email. Unless it is an email you are expecting, such as a password reset link that you requested, you should avoid clicking on any links sent by email. Instead, navigate to the website manually using your internet browser. That way, you can be sure you are on the correct website.
b. Carefully check the email address to look for any misspellings. For example, “aamazon.com” instead of amazon.com.
Lastly, here are a few tips to help keep you and your identity safe:
1. Put a freeze on your credit report. This will make it so that even if someone manages to get a hold of your information, they will not be able to use your SSN to open credit. Instructions to place a freeze on your credit can be found at https://www.annualcreditreport.com/securityFreezeBasics.action
2. Request an Identity Protection PIN from the IRS. This PIN prevents identity thieves from using your SSN to file for a tax return. Find out more at https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin
3. Review your credit reports often. You can review your reports up to once a week completely for free. Reviewing your report can often be the first and only sign that someone is using your personal information to open accounts. Check it by going to https://www.annualcreditreport.com.
