World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2023

June 15, 2023 | BankingFocus-Fraud Protection | BankingFocus-Educational Opportunities

What is a Scam?

By: 

A scammer is the ultimate salesperson with a tempting offer or a skilled liar with a plausible story

• Easily pinpoints a victim’s vulnerabilities and appeals to emotions: sympathy, fear, loneliness
• Quickly gains trust
• Insists on secrecy
• Shows no mercy, e.g., doesn’t take “no” for an answer

 

Know the Red Flags of a Scam

• Immediate action required
• Insistence on secrecy
• Money needed up front
• Hard-to-track payment methods

 

Build Your Scam Defenses

• Do not be rushed into any financial decision
• Assume that insistence on secrecy is a ploy to deceive you
• Be suspicious of any situation that requires you to send money up front
• Confirm all stories, offers or charities independently
• Be very cautious about clicking on email links

 

Block Those Scammers

• Register with National Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov to limit legitimate telemarketing phone calls, making phone scams easier to detect
• Register with www.DMAchoice.org to limit legitimate advertising mail, making mail scams easier to detect
• Limit personal information on social media and choose the strictest privacy settings on social media accounts
• Use antivirus software on your computer

 

What to Do if You Are Scammed

• Don’t be embarrassed or afraid
• Tell someone you trust
• Report the scam to Security Bank immediately to limit losses
• Contact your local police and federal agencies, like the Federal Trade Commission