Thanks to my friends at Capital One, Stay ahead of scammers by learning about these common scam types.

**Payment Scams:**

Be cautious if someone offers to make a purchase for you or promises compensation in exchange for your payment. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Also, be wary of payment methods you’re not familiar with, as you could end up paying for something you didn’t buy.

**Tech Support Scams:**

Tech support claims your computer has malware and demands payment to fix the issue or access your computer.

**Employment Scams:**

Be cautious when applying for jobs online or working from home. Be suspicious if someone claims to have overpaid you for a job, promises to reimburse for equipment, or asks you to send equipment to an IT department. The equipment might never be returned, and reimbursements or overpayments could be fake, leaving you responsible for the money. Never share personal information online with an unreliable source or through deceptive job applications.

**Impersonation Scams:**

Scammers pretend to be a legitimate company (like Capital One) or a utility company and ask for personal information or payment to “fix” your account. They might also use a fake caller ID that shows up as a legitimate company’s number and request remote access to your device. Scammers posing as a utility company might warn you to pay your balance within a short time or else the utility will be shut off.

**Fake Rental:**

A house is listed for sale online, but scammers have set up a fake website and listed the house as a rental. You send your first month’s deposit to a scammer pretending to be the landlord or owner.

**QR Code Scams:**

Scammers use QR codes to trick you into giving them personal information or money. Be careful when scanning QR codes, especially if they seem suspicious or come from unknown sources.

When scanning QR codes, use your phone’s camera app to stay safe from scams and fraud. Scammers use third-party QR code scanners and ads within these apps to trick you into visiting fake or dangerous websites that want your personal info.

**Fake Websites:**

Scammers are making fake websites that look real. Just do a quick Google search and you’ll find one. When you call, they’ll try to get your login details or other info.

**Overpayment Scams:**

You get an overpayment for something you’re selling, and then they ask you to deposit a check (which turns out to be bad) and send the difference via wire or gift card.

**Check Cashing:**

You’re approached outside a bank branch and asked to cash a check for someone who says they don’t have an account or left their ID at home. The bad check will be taken out of your account when it doesn’t clear.

**Romance Scams:**

If you’re asked for money from a new partner in a relationship that’s only online, you’re probably a target of this scam.

**Charity Scams:**

You get a request to donate to a charity that you’ve never heard of and can’t find an official website for.

**Debt Relief:**

You get a request to pay money to set up a service to pay, settle, or get rid of debt.

**FTC / IRS Scams:**

Scammers are pretending to be IRS officials to get your money. They’ll call, email, or text you saying you owe back taxes or there’s a problem with your tax return. They even trick caller ID to make their call look official. They play on your fears.

**Investment Scams:**

You get a request to invest in a business opportunity with promises of high returns and/or getting rich quickly.

**Lottery Scams:**

You get a request to prepay fees or taxes in order to receive a big prize you supposedly won.

**Grandparent Scam:**

Scammers pretend to be your grandparent and ask you to send them money.

You get a call or text from someone claiming to be a grandchild or loved one, asking for money to help with an emergency. They also give you instructions on where to send the funds.

Puppy scam: Scammers post fake litters online or pretend to be someone they’re not (usually an existing breeder) to take advantage of puppy sales (without the puppies).

Online Merchant/Marketplace Scams: When responding to ads or interacting in marketplaces on social media, research sellers and products independently to make sure they’re legitimate. Watch out for red flags like a high-ticket item for a price that seems too good to be true, a buyer who accidentally overpaid you for an item, or someone asking for personal information or redirecting to an unfamiliar or strange-looking URL.

Mortgage closing: You get an email or text message that looks like your real estate agent’s contact info, saying there’s a last-minute change to the wiring instructions and telling you to wire closing costs to a different account.

Business email compromise scams: You get an email from your supplier/vendor asking to send money to a different account. The supplier/vendor email looks familiar, but this could be a fraudster who got access to your supplier/vendor’s network.

If you think you’ve been a victim of a scam, here’s what you can do:

Contact your Bank if necessary, Report the scam to the BBB Scam Tracker and the government via the FTC ReportFraud site. You can also report scammers directly to the FBI.

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