How to Detect a Scam or Fraudulent Activity
Scammers pretend to be from a trusted organization you are familiar with…
They may pretend to be contacting you from a local or federal law enforcement agency, Social Security Office, Internal Revenue Service (IRS); some may even pose as a company you are familiar with such as your financial institution, technology company, or even a public utility company. They may spoof the number so that it appears to be coming from the actual organization they are posing as.
They will say there is a problem with your service, personal information, etc…
Scammers may attempt to persuade you that you or someone in your family is in legal trouble and owe money. They may also state there’s a problem with your computer or personal accounts and will ask for your login credentials.
Scammers will apply pressure…
These individuals may be impatient and want you to act quickly to not realize what is going on. They may threaten to arrest or sue you, advise you to not disconnect the call, and provide a time limit for you to complete their requests.
Forms of Payment…
Scammers will often state they only accept payment in specific forms. Some of these include (not limited to): cryptocurrency, wiring money, person to person (P2P), purchasing gift cards, or asking you for your personal banking information.
How Do I Protect Myself from Scams?
Do not give out your personal or banking information…
Firstmark will never use a phone call, email, or text to ask for confidential information, such as usernames, passwords, one-time passcodes, or other personal information like account or Social Security numbers.
Protect your information by doing the following…
If you feel you have been a victim of identity theft, place a fraud alert, contact credit reporting company, update your files, close your account if you believe it’s been tampered with, or file a complaint at ftc.gov/idtheft.
Do not act quickly and take the time to review the communication…
Legitimate organizations will allow you time to make a decision and provide you with the opportunity to disconnect and call the main number to ask for the same representative.
Confirm with someone you trust or the organization they claim to be…
Before acting, talk to someone you can count on and run the situation by them, or hang up and reach out to the organization who is claiming to be calling you.