Fraud

Fraud during times of national or global crisis and upheaval are common as it gives an opportunity to tug at the heartstrings of individuals with sincere intentions to donate. The crisis in Ukraine is the latest global crisis to spark fraudulent calls, texts, emails, as well as social media posts and ads across the internet.

Though there are plenty of scams to look out for, there are also plenty of ways to stay safe. Lori Hodges, Vice President of North America Risk for Visa laid it out for us.

What to do if you lose your wallet or purse

Losing your wallet or purse is a giant financial headache. You basically have to get on the phone and call everyone — health insurance providers, credit card companies, etc. — to get things back to normal. If you’ve lost your wallet or purse or had it stolen, here’s a look at what you should do and how to do it.

Follow these steps to protect your identity and sensitive financial information

Keeping your computers safe from cyber attacks isn’t just something governments and large industries have to worry about these days. Anyone who uses a smartphone, computer or other electronic device to send email, visit social media sites, search the internet or even pay bills online can fall victim to criminals looking to hack into your accounts to steal your passwords, identity and money.

It’s only early November, but you have probably already seen Christmas trees sold in stores. This is a trend known as “seasonal creep” in which retailers start selling seasonal items in advance of the actual season. Did you know that cybercriminals also follow this trend?

A porting-out scam targets a person’s mobile phone number when it is being ported during a change in phone service. Scammers with your personal information can interfere during the service change and hijack the phone number.

As the name suggests, an influencer is someone whose opinions influence a large social media audience. While influencers usually attract sponsorships from legitimate brands, these accounts can also be used as a tool for cybercriminals.

A year into the pandemic, bad guys continue to target struggling organizations. A recent example is a phishing email targeting those in the United States.

These days almost everyone is on social media. Whether you’re sharing your #OOTD (outfit of the day) on Instagram, expressing a political opinion via Twitter, or posting a video of your kid being objectively cute on Facebook, it’s part of modern life. But could you be putting yourself at more risk than you know?

While the world continues to navigate life during a pandemic, countless families and individuals are struggling financially. In a truly malicious response to the situation, scammers are launching phishing attacks that claim to offer financial assistance to those in need.