Tag Archives: FTC

Scammers Impersonating the Social Security Administration

Posted on by
Reply

Your Social Security number is an important key for an identity thief. Scammers want it, and they think of all sorts of ways to trick you into giving it away.

The Federal Trade Commission has been getting reports about calls from scammers claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. They say there’s been a computer problem, and they need to confirm your Social Security number.

Others have come across spoof websites that look like the place where you would apply for a new Social Security card – but these websites are actually a setup to steal your personal information.

If you get a phone call or are directed to a website other than ssa.gov that is claiming to be associated with the Social Security Administration, don’t respond. It’s most likely a scam.

Here are some tips to deal with these government imposters:

  • Don’t give the caller your information. Never give out or confirm sensitive information – like your bank account, credit card, or Social Security Number – unless you know who you’re dealing with. If someone has contacted you, you can’t be sure who they are.
  • Don’t trust a name or number. Con artists use official-sounding names to make you trust them. To make their call seem legitimate, scammers use internet technology to spoof their area code – so although it may seem they are calling from Washington DC, they could be calling from anywhere in the world.
  • Check with the Social Security Administration. The SSA has a warning about these scams and suggests you contact them directly at 1-800-772-1213 to verify the reason for the contact and the person’s identity prior to providing any information to the caller.

If you come across one of these scams, please report it to the Social Security Administration’s Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271 and then tell the FTC about it.

Article Source: Ari Lazarus for the Federal Trade Commission

 

Scam Alert: Caller ID Spoofing

Posted on by
Reply

Scammers are using fake caller ID information to trick you into thinking they’re someone who can be trusted. The practice is called caller ID spoofing, and scammers can basically fake anyone’s phone number and allow you to think they are a representative from a company.

There are even reports that scammers are spoofing the FTC’s Consumer Response Center phone number (877-382-4357). But don’t let that stop you from reporting scammers — it’s still safe to call the FTC Consumer Response Center, and it’s also safe to report scammers online.

If you’ve submitted a report or request to the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, the FTC might call you for additional information. But they won’t call you from 877-382-4357. And the FTC will never ask for money or for sensitive information such as your Social Security Number, date of birth, or bank account information.

Scammers are constantly picking new phone numbers to spoof. Here are a few tips for staying ahead of scammers and their unexpected calls:

  • If you get a strange call from a government phone number, hang up. If you want to check it out, visit the official (.gov) website for contact information.
  • Don’t give out or confirm your personal or financial information to someone who calls.
  • Don’t wire money or send money using a reloadable card. In fact, never pay someone who calls out of the blue, even if the name or number on the caller ID looks legit.
  • Feeling pressured to act immediately? Hang up. That’s a sure sign of a scam.

If you’ve gotten a call from a scammer, with or without fake caller ID information, report it to the FTC.

If at anytime you feel any of your First Financial accounts may have been compromised in a similar scam, contact our Member Relationship Center right away at 732.312.1500. If your First Financial credit or debit cards were compromised in a scam, call the 24/7 toll-free number on the back of your card to report the incident and replace your card. Remember that First Financial will never call and ask you for any sensitive information over the phone. All important phone numbers for members can be found on our website.

Article Source: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov

 

Avoiding Money Wiring Scams

Posted on by
Reply

financial crookImposters. Impersonators. Fakes. Frauds. Phonies. You might call them by different names, but these scam artists have one thing in common: they pretend to be someone they aren’t and tell you a bogus story to con you into wiring them money.

The crooks will give you a pretty convincing reason to wire money. They might say you owe the IRS taxes and you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay up. Or that you won a federal grant and have to pay a processing fee to get your money. Some even tell you a loved one’s in trouble and needs your help.

They might tell you to use a money wiring service to add funds to a 16-digit account number they give you — they say it’s your case number or account number, but it’s not. Once the transfer goes through, the money’s gone and you can’t get it back.

Government agencies will never ask you to pay by wiring money. Neither will legitimate businesses. If someone insists you pay by wiring money, it’s a scam. Don’t do it. Instead, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint or 1-877-FTC-HELP.

 

Want to help the people you care about avoid a money wiring scam? Watch the short video: Money Wiring Scams

Article Source: Alvaro Puig for http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/avoiding-money-wiring-scams?utm_source=govdelivery

 

Warning: Phony Sweepstakes Scam Using FTC’s Name

Posted on by
Reply

iWarning“Hi, I’m calling from the Federal Trade Commission to tell you that you have won $250,000…”

If you receive a phone call like this, you are most likely being targeted as a potential victim of a scam. Reports of someone claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have surfaced, so be aware not to fall victim.  The scammers in this situation pretend to be from the Federal Trade Commission, possibly even using the name of an actual FTC employee, and ask you to pay “taxes” or “insurance” in order to claim your prize, either by wiring money or sending a check.

TelemarketedIf you receive any sort of calls like this, DO NOT send any money, and report the incident to the FTC at ftccomplaintassistant.gov.  The FTC is the nation’s consumer protection agency and they investigate fraud and provide free information.  The FTC will never ask you to send them money, and neither will a legitimate sweepstakes company.

Take the following precautions to prevent yourself from falling victim to any type of sweepstakes scam:

Don’t pay to collect winnings.  If a company makes you pay to collect your sweepstakes winnings, you aren’t dealing with a legitimate company and may end up never seeing that money again.  Legitimate sweepstakes companies will never ask you to pay “taxes,” “insurance,” or “shipping and handling” on your winnings.

Hold on to your money.  When scammers act, they will try to pressure you into wiring money through commercial money wiring companies such as Western Union.  Wiring money is essentially the same as sending cash, so if you do fall victim, there is very little chance of recovering your money.  Also don’t mail a check or money order, especially by way of any sort of high speed shipping.  This allows the scammers to receive the money before you realize the scam.

Beware of look-alikes.  It is illegal for anyone to lie about an affiliation with or endorsement by a government agency or other well known organization.  Sometimes scammers may use a similar name to trick you into trusting them, but remember, insurance companies will never insure delivery of sweepstakes winnings.

Phone numbers can be deceptive.  Internet technology exists that allows con artists to disguise their area code.  Although it may appear that your caller is contacting you from Washington DC, they could in fact be calling you from anywhere in the world.

Alert the FTC! If somebody tries to impersonate a government agency to try and take your money, be sure to file a complaint at ftc.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP.  When you do this make sure you provide as many details as possible. Your complaint is more helpful if it includes information such as the time of the call, the phone number, name of the person or organization who called, which FTC employee name(s) were used, requested amount and method of money to be sent, or any other details.

We urge you to constantly be on the lookout for scammers and to always protect your personal and account information. Do not hesitate to call our Member Service Center at 732.312.1500 or stop into one of our branches if you suspect any fraudulent activity on your First Financial accounts.