‘Tis the season! Watch out for these scams!
Scams aren’t new; they’ve been around for decades. With technological advances and the rise of the Internet, scams have gotten more elaborate and convincing. They are used to con the most unsuspecting and vulnerable among us.
Most of us have heard of the more common cons out there, such as claims of false inheritances as well as IRS and social security scams. However, new scams are on the rise and they are not always as easy to spot! We have compiled a list with some of the current cons out there! The best way to combat scammers is to be aware of the scams, making you less likely to fall for them! Here’s what to look for so you don’t become a victim.
Free WiFi Scams
Free WiFi scams have become increasingly common, as most of us tend to jump on WiFi when we’re not at home or the office, as we work to preserve our allotted cellular data for the month. The next time you’re looking for a wireless hotspot, locate one called Free WiFi, beware! These WiFi scams enable hackers to access personal information, emails, usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers. This can happen anywhere you try to connect to the internet while on the go, but it is especially prevalent at airports.
Social Media Q&A Scams
Sometimes on Facebook, people may share “viral” posts which include questions such as: “What was your first car?” or “Who was your best friend as a child?”. If you’ve noticed the most common security questions on Apple or your bank’s website, you’ll see that these are very much the same. Don’t ever answer them on a public forum such as Facebook or Instagram. If people can get one or two answers like this, they can get into your accounts claiming they’ve forgotten your password.
Utility Scams
Fraudsters have been taking advantage of rising utility bills to prey on consumers and steal personal and financial information. There are two common types of utility scams—the phone call from a fake representative of your utility company and the more spirited door-to-door promotional pricing or product scam. These scams are particularly prevalent in California with scammers pretending to represent SCE, PG&E, and other local utility companies. For example, customers have been notified through phone calls and emails of overdue bills that appear to be sent from PG&E and need to be paid for immediately. Other times, the companies ask for deposits due to new changes in policies, etc.
If you believe you have been scammed or believe someone has attempted to defraud you, be sure and tell the FTC. Your reports help the FTC and law enforcement partners stop scammers. Hopefully, you found this information useful and you can share your newfound knowledge with your loved ones to help protect them from the long-term damage financial crimes can do.
Please keep in mind that Race will never ask for any personal information through email, and all official communication will come from a race.com domain. Late notices are always sent on official Race letterhead. Our company does not seek out deposits to fund our fiber deployment nor do we require payments via money orders or gift cards.
If you’re ever in doubt about someone who claims to represent Race, be sure to ask for their company badge as it is required for all our employees to have proper identification when interacting with customers.
