CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Everyone hopes they'd be savvy enough to detect a scam, but the truth is, cybercriminals are preying on unsuspecting people every day with more and more sophisticated schemes.
This is why it’s so important to know the red flags to avoid becoming a victim.
Here are three signs that it may be a scam, according to Bank of America:
The need to act immediately
Cybercriminals want to create a sense of urgency with their request in order to get people to act before they have time to think. Don’t fall for it. A good rule of thumb is, if there's a threat to act now or else, it's probably a scam.
Being asked for private information
Never share personal information or codes over the phone, via text, over email or on social media with someone who asks out of the blue.
Asking to pay in an unorthodox way
It’s a red flag if a company asks a customer to pay through an app, with a gift card, prepaid credit cards or by wire transfer.
Other tips to avoid becoming a victim of a scam:
- Emotional appeal - Any pitch that ratchets up emotion will inhibit rational judgment
- Explanations that don't ring true - If a new “landlord” can’t show the inside of the house, that could be because they don’t own it
- You won, now pay up - It’s not a prize if you have to pay for it. Taxes, fees, shipping, whatever
- Too good to be true - That’s because it’s not true. Sorry, your long-lost relative didn’t die, leaving you millions. That car you bought online for a third of its Kelly Blue Book value doesn’t really exist. The son of a billionaire diamond broker didn’t “swipe right” on you and fall instantly in love. That work-at-home job paying you hundreds of dollars an hour for stuffing envelopes isn’t real
Contact Carolyn Bruck at cbruck@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.