Five Serious Scams to Avoid This Spring - Money Tip Tuesday

As people gear up for travel, home projects, tax deadlines, and outdoor events, scammers ramp up their efforts to exploit the seasonal rush. From too-good-to-be-true deals to impersonation schemes that feel alarmingly convincing, these tactics evolve every year and catch even savvy consumers off guard. Links: Learn more about the Identity Theft protection tools with a Better Checking account Check out TCU University for financial education tips and resources! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Learn more about Triangle Credit Union Transcript: Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast.   In this tip, I’m going to highlight the top five scams to watch for this spring, how they typically unfold, and the warning signs that help you protect your accounts, your identity, and your financial peace of mind.  Unclaimed Funds  Have you received an unexpected phone call with the unexpected news that you’re entitled to hundreds or thousands of dollars in unclaimed property? More likely than not, this is a phishing scam. The scammers are counting on you to take the bait and provide your personal information or payment details under pressure. Remember, legitimate government agencies won’t call or text asking for personal information to release your unclaimed property. Instead, you can visit https://unclaimed.org/search to see if any unclaimed funds can be returned to you.   Mortgage or Debt Relief Offers  Just like unclaimed funds and unclaimed property scams, fraudulent mortgage and debt relief offers are on the rise. If the offer is unexpected and requires payment upfront, it is more than likely a scam. Other signs of a scam can include urgency related to the timing of the transaction: if you don’t act immediately, you can’t take advantage of this offer later. Scammers often ask for payment right away, but it’s illegal for debt or mortgage relief companies to charge a fee before you receive their services. Remember, if you are having trouble paying your mortgage or other debts, reach out to the companies that you owe money, and explain your unique situation. Often you can work with lenders and creditors to develop a payment plan. You can find legitimate help from housing and credit counselors as well.  Unpaid Traffic Violations  Did you receive a text, phone call, or letter advising that you have unpaid traffic tickets or tolls? Many times, these messages are threatening and rely on you to act quickly under pressure to remediate the issue. To make matters worse, scammers are taking advantage of artificial intelligence to make false notifications appear to look legitimate. For example, letters can include a fraudulent copy of an agency’s seal or can mimic a court-ordered collections notice. Some letters even include a QR code to collect payment. If you receive one of these communications, reach out directly to the agency in question using a publicly available phone number to confirm the authenticity of the message you received.   False Safety Recall  Another scam making the rounds this spring is product recall notices. Scammers are sending fake texts impersonating popular retailers and advising of “urgent” product recalls. Many times, these text messages include a link to a website that looks a lot like the actual retailer’s website, but it’s designed for you to enter your personal information, sending it directly to the scammer. Generally, retailers will post safety notices directly on their platforms and will not send unsolicited text messages related to recalls or refunds. If you have registered a product with the manufacturer when you purchased it, actual recall notices will be delivered to you by mail or the email you used during product registration. Learn more about active product recalls at recalls.gov and cpsc.gov.  Weather Relief Scams  This time of year often brings severe weather to many parts of the country. In turn, this means that scammers are ready to target victims eager to complete storm-related repairs quickly. Stay skeptical of contractors who reach out to you directly, as it’s common for unlicensed contractors to target recovery zones – always ask for copies of their license, insurance, and a contract in writing before taking action. Make sure to use trusted resources to see what others are saying about contractors or funding resources. Seeking multiple estimates or quotes for services can be critical to help ensure you’re getting a fair deal and that you are comparing equivalent work, materials, and timelines for repairs. Finally, pay by check or with credit card; other payment methods such as cash, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, gift cards, or a payment app can make it challenging to recover your money if it’s a scam.  Scams can be unsettling, but with vigilance and the tips above, you can help protect yourself and your data. Always remember that when in doubt, take a step back and verify before you act. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  If you suspect you may have fallen victim to a scam like this, or you suspect identity theft for any other reason, we have you covered! With Better Checking account, you have access to Fully Managed Identity Theft Recovery Services. We can provide a professional Identity Theft Recovery Advocate to help you remediate identity fraud and rescue your good name!  If there are any other tips or topics you would like us to cover, let us know at [email protected]. Like and follow our Making Money Personal FB and IG page and look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union on social media to share your thoughts.   Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.