Now more than ever, scammers are on the prowl trying to coax you into their den of lies. Countless people have been tricked and have lost their hard earned money to scammers. Whether it be because of a hypothetical paid-for cruise or because they were afraid of the consequences of not getting all of their ducks in a row, the end result is the same. In this article, I’ll do my best to help you sidestep these fraudulent letters by providing you with the tell-tale signs of a scam.
An Offer You Can’t Refuse
A dead giveaway when looking over a suspicious letter is to see if it tells you that you’ve been chosen for an exciting event, or that you’ve won big. For once, it’s okay to be pessimistic because this outlook could save you some big bucks. The reality is that a free scuba diving adventure, or a letter describing how you still qualify for additional financing are very unlikely to be legitimate offers. Scammers will use these as exciting attention grabbers to reel you in. My advice? Stay away from the tasty looking worm.
Keep Your Hands to Yourself
Stop, drop, and trash the letter if it asks you to confirm your personal information. Your suspicions are true…this is indeed a scam. You should NEVER be giving away your personal information, especially if it comes in the form of a carrier pigeon (or in this case, a prompt to log in).
If the letter is asking you to make payments using gift cards, cash, wire transfers, or any other means besides a credit card, shred that letter…it means you harm!
A Request to Take Into Consideration
Some scammers will try to scare you into submission and fear is a useful tactic in their eyes. These letters may say that there is a warrant out for your arrest because of your car warranty, or that if you don’t comply you will have to pay double that amount. These are empty threats. If you want to make sure you stay clear of any legal problems, contact your local law enforcement, as this will also give them a heads up that there are scams going around. To check to make sure that you are in good standing financially, reach out to your bank, they should be happy to help!
Now, Where Was I?
To avoid getting sucked into that black hole of scams, do your research and stay vigilant. There are many signs, including the ones above, that will keep you in the clear. If you get a notice from your bank about a scam letter that is going around, take it seriously. If you get a letter in the mail that has Central National Bank, but you aren’t sure if it is really from us, bring it in and tell us about it! If your local law enforcement posts about scams that are going around the community, don’t sweep it under the rug. Being extra cautious will undoubtedly help you!
Stay safe!!
For more information about imposter scams, take a look at this infographic!
