What To Do If You Get Scammed?

What To Do?

  • Change Your Online Passwords
  • Call Your Bank to Notify Them of the Scam
  • Make a report with the Federal Trade Commission – ftc.gov
  • Make a report with local law enforcement
  • Make a report to the company or agency involved
  • If you allowed the scammer access to your computer, update your anti-virus software or take your computer to a repair store to check for spyware

How To Protect Yourself

  1. Check Bank Statements
  2. Check in with Friends and Family
  3. STOP and THINK, Don’t Let Anyone Pressure You
  4. Do Your Research Before Acting
  5. Don’t Answer Unknown Phone Calls
  6. If You Do, Don’t Push Any Numbers, Hang Up
  7. Don’t Send Cash or Wire Money to People You Don’t Know
  8. Don’t Buy Gift Cards to Pay For Anything
  9. If It Sounds Too Good To Be True, It Probably Is!

How To Protect Your Money

  1. Credit Freeze
    • Stops All Access to Your Credit Report
    • Stops Any New Accounts Opening Until Lifted
    • Must Freeze with Equifax, TransUnion and Experian
    • Free!
  2. Place Fraud Alerts and Regularly Review Credit Reports

How?

Contact all three credit bureaus online or by phone

  1. Equifax
  2. Experian
  3. Transunion

Resources

  1. Local Law Enforcement – Sheriff or City Police Department
  2. Federal Trade Commission
  3. United States Postal Inspection Service
  4. Fight Cyber Crime Website
  5. Medicare
  6. Federal Communications Commission
  7. Consumer Finance Protection Bureau
  8. Social Security Administration
  9. Federal Bureau of Investigation
  10. California Attorney General
  11.  Office of Inspector General for Health and Human Services