Scammers may pose as relatives or friends, calling or sending messages to urge you to wire money or load prepaid cards immediately. They’ll say they need cash to help with an emergency, like getting out of jail, paying a hospital bill, or needing to leave a foreign country. The goal is to trick you into sending money before you realize it is a scam.
Common Tactics Used by Callers Committing Fraud
- They call or text from numbers that look familiar
- They play on your emotions
- They swear you to secrecy
- They need the money immediately
What You Need to Know
- Caller ID can be faked
- Always talk to someone to verify what was told to you
- If you believe you have responded to a scam, file a complaint with the FTC 1-877-FTC HELP or online at ftc.gov/complaint
How to Protect Yourself
Be alert for phone and email scams from individuals that could be impersonating a loved one. Providing gift card numbers over the phone should not be a method of providing funds. Once the numbers are provided, the funds are gone. ALWAYS validate that the loved one is in trouble.