2nd Quarter, 2021
GUARDING AGAINS T CHECK AND MAIL FR AUD
I
t’s fishing season, and the bad guys are looking for more than fish. They are looking for information on you and your financial accounts. It’s up to you to make sure you don’t end up as their “catch of the day.” It’s especially important to be on guard against check and mail fraud. Here are some common scams:
Fake Sweepstakes: In sweepstakes scams, “winners” are given checks and told to send money to cover taxes or processing fees. But legitimate sweepstakes won’t require you to pay in order to collect your prize. Don’t send money or information to anyone who promises big rewards. Overpayments: People buying somet h i n g f rom you on li ne “accidentally” send a check for too
T O D D S . A DA M S chief executive officer
much and ask you to refund the balance. If you’re selling an item online, consider using an online payment service instead of accepting a check. Why do check scams work? Fake checks can be made to look just like real ones, even to bank employees. They often use the names and addresses of legitimate financial institutions. They may even be real checks written on bank accounts that belong to victims of identity theft.
Gift Cards: If someone demands gift cards as payment, that’s an immediate red flag. A scammer may ask that you send money through money transfer services like Western Union, or buy gift cards and send them the PIN numbers. Once you wire money or give someone gift card PINs, it is like giving out cash. It’s almost FAKE CHECK impossible to get back your funds. Mystery Shopper: Be wary of “mystery shopper” offers. Scammers pretend to hire people as mystery shoppers to evaluate a retailer that sells gift cards, money orders, or a money transfer service. The shopper gets a check with instructions to deposit it in a personal bank account and wire it to someone else. But once the money is wired, the person on the other end can disappear.
by
SCAMS
Did someone send you a check and ask you to send some money back?
THAT’S A SCAM.
MAYBE: You win a prize and are told to send back taxes and fees.
You get paid as a “secret shopper” and are told to wire back money.
You sold an item online and the buyer overpays.
They ask you to send back money.
THAT’S A SCAM. IF IT’S A FAKE CHECK,
With the nicer weather of spring, we often feel those pent up yearnings to clean up and clean out our old financial records and papers. When we do, we need to make sure that this information is shredded or otherwise destroyed so that it cannot be used to steal our identities or our money. Old tax returns, bank statements, credit card statements, or birth or death certificates often contain sensitive information that must be protected. Don’t be lured into a false sense of security. Take care of your financial records and watch out for check and mail scams. After all, you don’t want to give someone a financial “phishing” license.
IN ALL CASES:
You get a check.
Please check your bank account regularly to make sure that no fake checks have been presented. If you think you’ve been targeted, please contact us immediately, so that steps can be taken to protect you from further loss.
FTC.gov
SERVING NEBR A SK A , C OLOR WHY A DOIS&MONEY K A NSINAYOUR S | 800. 422.3 4 88 | INFO@A BTBA NK .C OM ACCOUNT?
BALANCE: $ X,XXX