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Protect Yourself from Scams

Protect Yourself from Scams

The following is from The Social Security Administration website. www.ssa.gov/scam

On March 9, 2023, National Slam the Scam Day, and throughout the year, we give you the tools to recognize Social Security-related scams and stop scammers from stealing your money and personal information. Share scam information with your loved ones. Slam the Scam!

Recognize the four basic signs of a scam:

  1. Scammers pretend to be from a familiar organization or agency, like the Social Security Administration. They may email attachments with official-looking logos, seals, signatures, or pictures of employee credentials.
  2. Scammers mention a problem or a prize. They may say your Social Security number was involved in a crime or ask for personal information to process a benefit increase.
  3. Scammers pressure you to act immediately. They may threaten you with arrest or legal action.
  4. Scammers tell you to pay using a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire or money transfer, or by mailing cash. They may also tell you to transfer your money to a “safe” account.

Ignore scammers and report criminal behavior. Report Social Security-related scams to the SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

Visit www.ssa.gov/scam for more information and follow SSA OIG on FacebookTwitter, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest scam tactics. Repost #SlamtheScam information on social media to keep your friends and family safe.

Click here to REPORT A SCAM

Beware of Craigslist Rental Scams

Beware of Craigslist Rental Scams

 As if it isn’t challenging enough to sell a home or find a place to rent, real estate agents report that their active residential listings are being posted on Craigslist and other legitimate websites as rental properties. The scammers post listing details such as the address, listing photos and verbiage in the false ad. While each scam is slightly different, they often have these similarities:
  • The scammer pretends to be the homeowner or listing broker
  • The contact email address in the fraudulent ad may include the name(s) of the actual owner or listing broker
  • The scammer claims to be out of the area and asks the renter to inspect the property on their own rather than meeting in person
  • The scammer claims that the keys will be sent after a rental application, application fee, deposit, or first month’s rent is received

Craigslist is arguably the top source for finding rental properties. It publishes effective tips and hints about how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud in rental scams.

There are numerous websites (including mine) that make it easy to research a home address to see if it is actively for sale. If it is, call the listing agent and ask if the property is actually for rent.

Taking a few extra minutes to research a rental listing can help you avoid rental scams, saving you untold heartache and $$$$!