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With the holiday's coming up, we want to make sure you are well-equipped with tips on how to protect your information online. Our partners at BALANCE have put together a list of some seasonal scams for you to look out for and avoid. Unfortunately, fraudsters don't take time off. In fact, some of them specifically set their sights on us during this time of year.
Keep your holidays merry and bright by avoiding these timely scams: |
| Scam-Proofing your financial life:In addition to these seasonal scams, there are some general rules of thumb to look out for when it comes to your financial life online. The instances of online fraud only seem to grow every year. However, that doesn’t mean you need to swear off the Internet forever. In fact, surfing the web can be safe and worry-free as long as you’re careful; you just need to know how to spot a scam. To keep your identity and money secure, here’s a quick guide to identifying—and avoiding—online fraud.
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| Never click suspicious links: Phishing works in different ways, but in the most common scenario, a scammer posts an appealing link as bait, and then re-directs you to a different website. Best case? You’ll be taken to a shady website. But in the worst-case situations, clicking the link infects your computer with a virus that steals your personal info, or locks your computer until you agree to pay the scammer a ransom fee. The simple solution? Think before you click. |
| The shady shopping site: Anticipating a flurry of online shopping for the holidays, scammers have been known to create fake retails sites designed to harm you. It works like this: you type a popular search term such as "discount toys" and the fraudulent website shows up in your search results disguised as a legitimate retailer. If the site looks suspicious in any way or advertises deals significantly lower than other retailers, use it with caution. |
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| Special delivery-of malware: If you’re like most people, you’ll probably do at least a little online shopping this holiday season—which means you’ll be receiving packages via USPS or another courier. Scammers take advantage of this opportunity to phish for your personal information. Most carriers don’t ask for your email address, so if you never provided it but received a message from FedEx, UPS, or DHL, delete it. The link inside the email is most likely designed to download malware to your computer. |
| Beware spam-y comments in social media: Scammers are smart. They know we’re viewing trending posts in social media. And the more popular the post, the more likely we’ll be to read and leave comments. In the comment con, the spammer will drop a dubious link into the conversation, claiming it connects to a relevant story or thread. Use your intuition, and be wary of any user or link that doesn’t quite look right. Pro tip: As a general rule, you should change your passwords regularly, especially those of your financial accounts. Passwords are highly valued on the black market (i.e., Scammer Land). |
| Charity scam: Charity scams are particularly devious, as they prey on your good will. Unfortunately, they tend to flourish during the holidays when people are in a giving kind of mood. While you should always donate to charity if you’re moved to do so, research the organization first. Scammers will likely try to phish you with emails from fake charities supporting disabled veterans, needy kids, or another emotionally-charged cause. If you’ve never heard of the organization in question, Google the company and visit its website. |
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| Dating profiles too good to be true: Unfortunately, scammers have started to invade online dating websites. They may be hard to spot at first, preferring to woo you over a period of time. So how do you identify them? Watch out for anyone who wants to move your conversation from the dating site to email, can never meet in person, or the big one—wants your money. |
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Food Drive We will be holding our annual Second Harvest Food Drive in all of our branches from November 1st through December 2nd. Click below for a list of desired donation items or to make a monetary donation.
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Educational ScholarshipsOne of the many ways we like to contribute to our local communities each year is through our Educational Scholarships. Applications are open now through March 15th. Submit your application or share the program information with others in the community. Learn More!
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Earn Cash Rewards
Attention CommonWealth members! It is time to get rewarded with more cash! As a credit union member, you get a $200 cash reward for each new line activated with Sprint®. Now on unlimited lines. Already a Sprint® customer? You can earn $100 with their Annual Loyalty Cash Rewards!
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