Public Safety
Shoppers shopping

Tips on How Not To Be Scammed During the Holiday Season

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Now that the holiday shopping season is in full swing, scammers are shopping too, looking for people to separate from their money. The Federal Trade Commission already gave you some tips for happy holiday shopping, but here are some tips to help you outsmart those bah-humbug scammers and donate safely. — an announcement from the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information blog

Online shopping? Pay by credit card. Credit cards give you extra protection for most online purchases.

Consumer and Finances
A Cell Phone Mobile Phone Smartphone FTC Consumer Information Blog Oct 23 2019

Stealing Your ID by Stealing Your Phone’s Account: How to Avoid the SIM Swap Scam

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If your cell phone is your go-to device for checking your email, paying your bills, or posting to social media, you’re not alone. So imagine that your cell phone suddenly stops working: no data, no text messages, no phone calls. Then picture getting an unexpected notification from your cellular provider that your SIM card has been activated on a new device. What’s going on? These could be signs that a scammer has pulled a SIM card swap to hijack your cell phone number.

Public Safety
Image from FTC video Hang up on fraudulent telemarketing https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/media/video-0036-hang-fraudulent-telemarketing

FTC: ID Thieves Promise Free DNA Testing Kit from Medicare in Exchange for Social Security #

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Here’s one that goes to show just how creative scammers can be. The FTC is getting reports that callers claiming to be from Medicare are asking people for their Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal information — in exchange for DNA testing kits. — Lisa Lake is a consumer education specialist with the Federal Trade Commission. This article originally appeared on the FTC website. The callers might say the test is a free way to get early diagnoses for diseases like cancer, or just that it’s a free test, so why not take it?