Debt-collection scams exploit the feelings of helplessness and overwhelm to lure victims. Let’s take a look at these scams and how to keep yourself from falling victim. How the scams play out In a debt-collection scam, a scammer posing as a debt collector will call a victim to demand payment for an outstanding debt. The caller insists on a specific …
Quick question: if a scammer was trying to pull off a con on two groups of people, one aged 13-21, and one aged 55+, which group would be more likely to fall for the scam? If you’d guess the group aged 55+, you may want to think again. Yes, older adults are a more vulnerable group that is also sometimes …
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way we live and work. Unfortunately, though, it’s also revolutionizing the way scammers play their games. Here’s what you need to know about AI fraud and how to protect yourself. What is AI fraud? AI fraud is the use of artificial intelligence to deceive or defraud individuals or organizations. When using AI to pull …
When it comes to convenience, service and scale of products, nothing beats Amazon. Unfortunately, though, scammers leverage Amazon’s reputation in many unique ways. Here are five Amazon-related scams you need to know about. Update your order In this scam, a shopper places an order on Amazon and then gets a phone call or notice by email or text. It claims …
It’s tax season, and scammers are working overtime to get your money. Tax scams are as varied as they are common, but when you know what to look for, you can beat fraudsters at their game and keep them from getting your money and your information. If you hear or see any of the following 12 lines this tax season, …
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a wave of scams, with no signs of slowing down. These scams are also producing a surge of counterfeit bills into circulation. Using cutting-edge technology, scammers create bills that look just like the real thing to the untrained eye. Unfortunately, once counterfeit bills are passed, their new owner can become liable for passing …
Tens of millions of Americans have found themselves out of work as the economy reels from the impact of COVID-19. A record 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment insurance in the four weeks leading up to April 11. Unfortunately, when there’s bad news, the scammers aren’t far behind. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans have lost a …
One of the oldest holiday scams, which is even more prevalent in the age of the internet, is the letter from Santa scam. Here’s all you need to know about this Christmas-themed scheme. How it plays out In this ruse, scammers set up bogus websites where parents can order legitimate-looking letters from Santa for their children. The cost is less …
It can be overwhelming with endless reports of data breaches, cyber-attacks, and fraud. Here at Directions, we want to help you understand these data breaches as much as possible! First and foremost, data breaches happen at the merchant/business level – not at your financial institution. Directions Credit Union has never experienced a data breach. How data breaches occur Businesses that …
Data breaches are becoming more common. Because of this, we put together a quick Q&A to help answer your questions and provide you with instructions on what to do next. Q: What is a data breach? A: A data breach is when someone infiltrates a merchant’s network and steals customer information. This information includes name, address, social security number, …
