The offer you received was great. It seemed to be too good to be true, but it was such an incredible deal. You didn’t want to miss out on that offer! You never questioned its legitimacy. Until now. You didn’t get the product you ordered. Questionable charges are showing up on your bills. You were denied a loan because your credit score has tanked. Money exchanged hands but the job wasn’t done.
What should you do? As one of my grad school professors always told us – it depends.
Did you give the scammer your personal information? If you shared your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov to get information on steps to take and learn how to monitor your credit. You’ll need to explain what happened, and a recovery plan will be developed.
Did you share your username and password? Create a new and strong password. Consider using at least 12 characters if your service permits long passwords. Random words are recommended and use upper and lower case as well as symbols and numbers. If you use the same passwords on other sites, change those as well. Learn how to keep your password secure.
Did you give the scammer remote access to your computer? Make sure your security software is up to date. Run a scan. Learn how to protect your information and take action steps to secure your computer.
Did the scammer take control of your cell phone number and account? Contact your phone service provider to take your phone back. Once this is done, change your password. Check your statements and financial reports for unauthorized charges or changes. If you find issues, report them to the company and go to IdentityTheft.gov to see what to do next.
Did you pay a scammer for something? If you paid by credit or debit, contact the issuing institution and tell them the charge was fraudulent. Ask to reverse the transaction and reimburse your money. Did you pay with a gift card? Gift cards are like money. Once cashed in, there is often no way to retrieve the money. You can contact the company and tell them it was used in a scam. Keep the card and the gift receipt. Did you pay with cryptocurrency? Cryptocurrency payments are most often not reversible. Contact the company used to send the money and tell them it was fraudulent. Ask about a reversal of the transaction.
The Federal Trade Commission offers a great deal of information on scams. You can get information on scams, find out how to take action (report fraud, report identity theft, get your free credit report), and more. Check out their website to learn how to be proactive in protecting yourself. You can also order free resources.
Keep in mind that everyone is susceptible to scams. Reporting can help your case and help others avoid scams. Learning what to do can help with resolution of your situation and help you avoid future scams.
Stay safe!
