- ๐ ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฌYou are entitled to a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months under federal law. The only government-authorized website for ordering your free annual credit report is AnnualCreditReport.com, but the internet is rife with imposter sites.These websites claim to provide “free credit reports,” but they frequently attempt to collect personal information, such as your Social Security number or date of birth, which can then be used to steal your identity. Other websites may offer “free” credit monitoring, but after a trial period, impose a charge to your credit card.
- ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บDon’t respond to emails, pop-up ads, or social media ads offering a free credit report. Instead, visit AnnualCreditReport.com. Be aware that some bogus credit report websites use URLs that look very similar to AnnualCreditReport, so type the address into your search bar carefully and double-check that you’re on the right site before entering any information.
- ๐ข๐ป๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒDating websites can be great for meeting new people, but unfortunately, romance fraudsters, aka catfish, also use these sites to find their victims. And, according to the FBI, romance scams result in greater financial loss than any other internet-facilitated crime, with the average victim losing over $100,000.This type of fraud can take many forms, but it usually begins with the scammer developing a phony online romance with the victim. Once the scammer has gained the victim’s trust, they will request money. They frequently claim to require funds for a personal emergency or to purchase a plane ticket to visit the victim.
- ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บOlder adults should be especially cautious using online dating websites, as some romance fraudsters specifically target older citizens. Whatโs more, women are victimized at a much greater rate than men.
- ๐๐ผ๐ด๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฝ-๐๐ฝ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐This scam takes advantage of consumers’ fears. A bogus pop-up alerts the user that their computer has been infected with a virus and directs them to download security software right away.The goal of this scam is sometimes to make money by duping the victim into purchasing rogue software. Sometimes the ostensible security software is free, which encourages the victim to download it.
- ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บProtecting your computer with genuine antivirus software from a reputable security company is one of the most effective ways to help avoid this scam. Bitdefender is a good option because it protects your computer from scams, viruses, and phishing attempts.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ฌ
October 29, 2022