14M people are exposed to job scams every year. Hereโs what you need to know
Linked in reports 50 percent of workers will actively look for a new job this year and most of those people will search online to find one. But beware, job scams are a growing problem. According to the Better Business Bureau, about 14 million people are exposed to an employment scam each year. Now, scammers are finding new ways to get people on board.
Pitfalls of love: Romance scams & how to spot them
Valentineโs Day is coming up and that means many people will be searching for that special someone to spend the holiday with. Millions of Americans use online dating apps or social networking sites to meet others. But before you click, type, or swipe, you should know about romance scams.
Did you get billed for an SBA loan you didnโt apply for? Hereโs what to do
Did you get a bill for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan, but you didnโt apply for one? Itโs possible that an identity thief applied for the loan using your personal or business information. The SBA has new guidance about reporting the fraud, and the FTC has tips to help you clear up any credit problems it may cause. The SBAโs Office of Disaster Assistance has been issuing the loans under its COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Keep these invoices until the SBA has finished reviewing your identity theft report.
JEA warns customers of increase in utility scams
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Scammers are at it again, and JEA wants customers to be alert and aware. Never purchase a prepaid card or respond via a mobile payment app, (Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, etc. JEA, along with approximately 100 other U.S. and Canadian member utilities and associations, participates in Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS). The organization receives recognition for its efforts to stop scams that target electric, water and natural gas company customers. To date, thousands of toll-free numbers used by scammers against utility customers have been shut down.
FTC warns crooks are wrapping up 2020 with more car wrap scams
The Federal Trade Commission just heard from more companies that scammers are using their names to trick people into a car wrap scam. This time, scammers are saying theyโre Marlboro or Purell (but theyโre not really). Then theyโll say to use some of that money to pay their โdecal agentโ to put the ads on your car. So, if you deposited a $1,500 check and sent $500 to the โdecal agent,โ youโre out $500 of your own money. Another thing: an FTC analysis published earlier this year showed that fake check scams hit 20- and 30-year-olds hard in the wallet.
Hey college students: Have you seen this scam?
Scammers are targeting college students again, this time with a fake check scam. So how do you avoid a fake check scam? Never use money from a check to send gift cards, money orders, or wire money to someone. And, once you send the money or put it on a gift card and give someone the gift card PIN, itโs like giving them cash. The bottom line is, if someone sends you a check and tells you to send money by wire transfer or gift card โ itโs a scam.
Scammers putting COVID-19 twist on imposter scheme, state leader warns
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ Scammers targeting parents and grandparents with phony calls about family member arrests are using COVID-19 concerns to strike more fear, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said. Moody warned in a Consumer Alert issued Tuesday that scammers are putting a new twist on the common scam. For years, she said, scammers have targeted parents and grandparents with phony calls claiming a family member is under arrest. Imposter phone calls are effective because spoofing technology allows scammers to change the information displayed on caller IDs to give the appearance that their calls are coming from a government entity. To avoid falling victim to an imposter scam:Do not automatically trust the number listed on the caller ID, especially with respect to unsolicited calls.
COVID-19 scams are on the rise; Heres what to watch for
As if the coronavirus pandemic hasnt hit consumers hard enough, theres a huge spike in scams related to COVID-19. Consumer Reports says to watch out for these coronavirus scams. And then there are phishing scams from fake websites that may have coronavirus or covid19 in their domain names. You should be very vigilant about sharing personal information if you didnt initiate the contact. And when it comes to credit card fraud, CR says to sign up for push notifications and check your credit reports.
State leaders warn of fake COVID-19 contact tracing calls
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ To slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, state public health professionals are calling Floridians who may have come into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. These โcontact tracingโ calls are an extremely vital tool in the stateโs effort to contain the spread of the virus, Attorney General Ashley Moody said. โIf you are diagnosed with COVID-19, you will be asked by an epidemiologist from your county health department about everyone youโve come in contact with over the last two weeks,โ Moody explained. An authorized contact tracer will NEVER disclose the identity of the person who tested positiveThe Florida Department of Health has prepared a fact sheet about contact tracing. To report contact tracing scams or any other COVID-19 related fraud, contact the Florida Attorney Generalโs Office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.
Scam alert: That Costco text message isnโt really from them
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Did you receive one of those text messages asking about your Costco receipt and offering a reimbursement? Donโt click the link. Itโs a scam. โThere is currently a text scam circulating that threatens to cancel the membership unless the user clicks on the link for a survey,โ Costco says on its website. Do not click on the link as these are in no way affiliated with Costco.โAnother version of the message people are receiving says that they are trying to get in touch about your Costco receipt and asks you to click a link to โclaim your overcharge reimbursement.โAgain, itโs a scam.
How to avoid scams while applying for small business loan
But, while youโre focused on getting a loan, scammers may be focused on you: hoping to trick you into giving them sensitive business information, like your bank account numbers, employeesโ Social Security numbers, and even your money. Here are some โdosโ and โdonโtsโ to help you stay clear of scammers as you apply for a small business loan. You donโt have to pay up front to get an SBA loan. The SBA wonโt call unsolicited to find out information about you or your business, or to ask you to apply for a loan. Itโs a The SBA wonโt call unsolicited to find out information about you or your business, or to ask you to apply for a loan.
Donโt fall prey to the money mule scam
Scammers are using people to move stolen money without them knowing, and the victims can face up to 30 years in prison and up to a $1 million fine. It's happened with online dating, work at home jobs or even cash prizes. Donโt ever accept a job that asks you to transfer moneyNever send money to collect a prizeDonโt send money back to an online love interest who has sent you money. Criminals are good at making up reasons to get victims to move money. Some even going as far as to say their life is on the line if you donโt send the money for them.
Florida Attorney General warns of โone of scariest scamsโ
Because they could actually be a foe using an innovative phone scam that Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody called โone of the scariest" sheโs heard about. Voice cloning technology lets users make near-perfect reproductions of real peopleโs voices, even from only a five-second recording of the voice. Scammers can then use the clone to call victims pretending to be the targetโs family member or friend asking for money in an emergency. For business owners, ensure a culture of security among employees where more than one person signs off on vendor payments. Report scams to the Attorney Generalโs Office by calling 1-866-9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.
Helping you spot the red flags of phishing, other scams
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Only 5% of people were able to correctly identify all types of online security scams, according to a recent survey from Security.org. Nearly everyone -- 96% -- knew about phishing -- but just 5% could spot the various ways hackers could access their personal information. The Morning Show wants to help you spot the red flags. A scam that went out to more than a million Netflix subscribers had some red flags if you looked closely. If you think a scammer already has your information, like your Social Security number, credit card or bank account number, go to IdentityTheft.gov.
Easy ways to avoid falling prey to gift card resale scams
Moodyโs office issued a Consumer Alert on Thursday to warn shoppers about common gift card scams that increase after the holidays. "Shoppers should be wary and take steps to avoid falling victim to gift card scams this holiday season.โA common gift card scam occurs when shoppers try to sell or exchange a gift card online. Simpler scams involve fake gift card exchange websites. These sites prompt users to enter gift card information in order to confirm the balance. These are just a few tips to help better protect shoppers from common gift card scams.
With tax season on the way, itโs time to protect your personal data
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ With tax season just around the corner, authorities are warning people to take steps to protect their personal and financial information so they can avoid falling victim to scams. On Tuesday, representatives from several agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service and Jacksonville Sheriffโs Office, met downtown as part of National Tax Security Awareness Week to share some tips to arm the public against fraud and identity theft. โIronically, Iโve gotten them on my IRS cell phone, so theyโre indiscriminate as to who they go to.โThe best way to protect yourself is to safeguard your personal data. That means changing passwords often and making sure theyโre strong. Also, never enter your personal details on an unsecured website, and avoid clicking on any links you donโt recognize.