Let’s Talk… Scammers, Thieves and Christmas!!

I get many calls from family and friends about emails they get this time of year saying there has been some suspicious activity on their financial account and to please call the number in the email. They want to know if this is fraud and they hadn’t used “PayPal” in 10 years so how could there be fraud on their account. 

Here are a few things to remember if you get these emails because the criminals are getting more sophisticated and more people are falling for the scams. 

• First, assume it is fraud. An idea would be to not call the number on the email but maybe call the main customer service number for the company. 
• Second, don’t click on anything or put your username and password in. All they are doing is stealing your password and username. You could also see if you can set up third party authentication for any logins. 
• Third, as people have time off work for the holidays, they often spend more time engaged online. Try new activities to get away from the screen. Go for a walk, give mindfulness a try, or join a cooking class with your friends or family. 

Lastly, realize it’s Christmas time for fraudsters also. Don’t contribute to their Christmas bonus by becoming a victim to a scam.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.