When It's Not the Government Calling
Scams are at record highs and have no end in sight. Government scams for 2020 are reported to have more than $174 million in losses.
This month we are reviewing the information the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provided on how to spot scammers.
People have been reporting calls, texts, and emails from people posing to be government officials. The FTC shared some ways you can spot these scammers:
- Caller IDs – they may be manipulated, so don’t use the number if you don’t recognize it
- Government agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will never contact you randomly asking for payment right away.
- Gift cards, money transfers, or cryptocurrency are not legitimate forms of payment to the government
- Asking for personal information – check the agency first before giving this important information out
Stay safe and if ever in doubt, treat it as a scam. If you spot a scammer, let the FTC know at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
If you think your banking has been affected, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
