Falling for scams could be a disaster
September is Disaster Preparedness Month. During situations like a natural disaster or health emergency, scammers work fast to come up with new ways to con you out of money or to gain access to sensitive personal or financial information. They might try to prey on your generosity and empathy by coming up with a fake charity to provide relief for people affected by a natural disaster but pocket the donations instead. They could also try to sell you a phony cure or treatment during a health emergency, as we’ve seen during the pandemic.
To protect yourself and your loved ones, here are a few tips for avoiding disaster-related scams, as well as steps you can take to spread the word.
Tips to avoid scams
Don’t share Social Security or Medicare ID numbers or financial information with someone you don’t know who contacts you in person or by phone, text message, social media message, or email.
Be wary if someone asks you for money by wire transfer, gift cards, or a mobile payment app or asks you to cash their check and send a portion of the money back.
How to report a scam
If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, whether it’s disaster-related or not, report it immediately to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov/complaint or by calling 1-800-FTC-HELP.
