Fraud & Security

Beware Child Tax Credit Scams

The Child Tax Credit, a part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that takes effect in July, is already drawing the attention of scammers. The newly expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) will provide monthly payments of up to $300 per child for approximately 40 million households across the country. Payments…
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Protecting yourself from Fraud

Did you know that millions of victims of identity theft Happen every year? When an individual’s identity is stolen, the thief wreaks major havoc on the victim’s financial health, which can take months, or even years, to recover from. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent yourself from…
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Don’t Get Caught in an Auto Warranty Scam

    If you own a vehicle and a phone, you may receive calls from scammers posing as representatives of a car dealer, manufacturer or insurer telling you that your auto warranty or insurance is about to expire. The call will include some sort of pitch for renewing your warranty or policy. During…
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Top Fraud in 2020

  The Federal Trade Commissions stated that 2020 was a busy year for fraud. In 2020, the FTC got more than 2.2 million reports about fraud, with people telling us they lost nearly $3.3 billion. The top fraud of 2020 was imposter scams. Imposter scams come in many varieties, but work the same way:…
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Puppy Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them

Who doesn’t want a cute cuddly puppy to spend the quarantine with? Especially for people who live alone, there are psychological benefits to having a pet when you feel disconnected from your support system. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), dogs reduce stress, anxiety, and…
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Beware of COVID-19 Fraud Attacks: How to Spot and Avoid Them

WARNING: EIP Fraud Alert The IRS is warning people about a text message scam piggybacking on the economic impact payments authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. The text reads; “You have received a direct deposit of $1,200 from covid-19 TREAS FUND. Further action…
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Cybersecurity and Social Media: 5 Ways to Stay Safe

In 2020, almost everyone is on social media, but are you staying safe? Using social media is fun and useful for staying in touch with out-of-town friends and family (and pretty much everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic), but don’t let your guard down too far. Check out these tips to keep you and your…
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Avoiding Cryptocurrency Scams: What You Need to Know

In today’s landscape, scams of every kind are rampant. You have probably heard about cryptocurrency scams through the media, but in order to truly protect yourself from this scam category, you need to know what it is and what to look for to avoid it. What is Cryptocurrency? First things first: what…
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How to Keep Your Information Safe from Malicious Smartphone Apps

Lately, we’ve seen a rise in the amount of Malicious Mobile App, or MMA, attacks that continue to get more and more sophisticated. With the majority of people spending more time at home and doing most of their banking online, it is likely that cyber-attacks, such as MMA’s, will continue to increase.…
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