Scam Alerts for February

New frauds and scams seem to crop up weekly.  Identity theft and other scams rob millions of Americans of their hard-earned money.  Last year alone, Americans lost $18 billion dollars to fraud and scams.  In fact, every two seconds, a con artist steals someone’s identity.

What tricks do con artists use to steal your money?  How can you outsmart scammers before they strike?  Beat the con artists at their game.  Check out this month’s scam alerts and don’t get taken in with the fraudsters’ tricks.

Oh, and if you would like to host a top frauds and scams presentation in your community, send us an email at nh@aarp.org.  We have a corps of trained volunteers who can bring to you a one-hour top frauds and scams presentation.  Free of charge!

So, here are some more frauds and scams which may be coming to you!

Online Dating Scams

Along with the rise in dating website use, there comes a rise in online dating scams.  Scammers create fake profiles, build relationships with individuals through the dating site, and then attempt to steak money and disappear.

You can spot a con artist quickly by recognizing a few red flags.  They might propose chatting offline or profess their feelings for you before getting to know you.  They may offer to visit if you can help cover travel costs using gift cards or money transfers and then cancel these plans to visit because of a phone reason such as “their wallet was stolen.”

Be very careful what you share with people you don’t know!  You can report online dating scams to the site you are using, the Federal Trade Commission, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the New Hampshire Attorney General.

Work from Home Scams

It is becoming more common for people to look for ways to supplement their income, and job listings for “work from home” jobs are becoming more popular because they are so convenient.  Scammers already know this and use this knowledge to target their victims.

There are some easy ways to spot this scam early!

If the “company” offers high pay for very little work, or doesn’t require any previous experience, it may be a scam.  Be especially cautious of employers who require you to pay for training up front with the promise of paying you back once you start the job.

Conduct research on every employer you are considering.  Sometimes, newspapers or websites may unknowingly share advertisements for services that are actually listed by scammers.

Report these directly to the website or newspapers, as well as the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade commission, and the New Hampshire Attorney General.

Tech Support Scams

Computer viruses are scary, and scammers exploit this fear to gain access to your personal information.  They do this by tricking you into thinking your computer or other device has been compromised and you need their help to fix the problem.

The Federal Trade Commission notes that some scammers will pretend to be working for trusted or familiar software companies like Microsoft.  They may ask you to give them remote access to your computer, and then charge you for new software downloads, unnecessary repairs, products or services.

They may also install Malware on your computer.

If you have been scammed, contact your credit card company to reverse the payment.  Take the necessary steps to rid your computer of any damaging malware, too.

You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and report the scam to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.  For more information, visit www.aarp.org/TechScams.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Home Improvement Scams

At this time of year, don’t be surprised to hear about home repair salespeople going door-to-door looking for work.  Are they reputable and licensed?  Maybe, but don’t take any chances.

To protect yourself, insist on seeing references for any contractor, obtain a written contract before any work begins, and read the fine print.  You can also check with your state’s licensing agency to confirm that the contractor you are considering hiring has been licensed.

Without taking these precautions, you may end up doing business with someone who either disappears with your money or who does a lousy job using shoddy materials.  Before you hire anyone, do your homework first!

Get more information on frauds and scams at AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.  Sign up for Watchdog Alerts and stay alert on con artist’s latest tricks.  It’s free of charge for everyone – AARP members, non-members, general public and people of all ages.

Be a fraud fighter!  If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.