These can come from a text, email or messaging app, as well as on the phone. Don't rely on caller ID to determine if a call is legitimate. Scammers use tools to make it appear they're calling from a genuine government or business number. Instead, confirm independently whether a business, utility or government agency is indeed trying to reach you. If you receive a call from a company you do business with and they ask for information, consider hanging up and calling the company directly using the customer service number listed on your invoice, account statement, or the corporate or government website. And be sure to report imposter scams to the company or institution being impersonated.
2. Avoid clicking suspicious links
Don't click on links or attachments included in unknown or suspicious emails and texts. In an email, hover over links to reveal the website's URL and see where the link really goes, and double check the sender's domain name in the
7 Tips to Help Protect You from Financial
Fraud
Article from BPT Website
BUSINESS MATTERS
(BPT) - Scammers seem to be getting more and more sophisticated, and older adults are often the target - especially of financial scams. In fact, scams targeting Americans 60 and older resulted in over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023, an 11% jump from the previous year, according to the 2023 FBI Elder Fraud report.
And imposter fraud is on the rise. That email seemingly from your bank or broker, the urgent message from a tech company alerting you to a computer problem, or the notorious grandparents scam saying your grandchild is in trouble and needs money - all are examples of imposter fraud. It's easy to be taken in, so we all need to be on the alert and aware of how to protect ourselves and our finances.
At Charles Schwab, we're committed to providing information and resources to help keep older investors - and all investors - safe. So here are seven ideas to help you avoid falling prey to financial fraud.
1. Look out for unsolicited offers