When someone messages you requesting money, there is a laundry list of reasons they may use. They may say that you’ve won a prize, a family member is in an emergency, or they try to make you feel guilty, so you send them money. But how do you know that the message you received is legit or from a scammer?
Scammers want your money, quickly, and don’t want you to be able to get it back. One of the surest ways you can spot a way is by knowing how they will ask/tell you to pay. If they ask you to pay one of the following ways, chances are they are a scammer:
- Gift Cards: Gift cards are for gifts, not payments. They’re popular with scammers because once you give the gift card PIN to someone, it’s like handing over cash. They also give you fewer protections, compared to other payment options.
- Money Transfer: When you wire money, it’s easy for a scammer to take your money and disappear. It’s also like handing off cash to someone – once the fraudster has it, it’s difficult to get back.
- Cryptocurrency: Real companies and agencies will never demand that you pay with cryptocurrency and will never say buying crypto will help with a problem or protect your money.
If you find yourself a victim of fraud, please visit any of our offices or give us a call at 860-376-4444. You can also repost the scam by going to reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
