Scams continue to affect community members as it can be hard to keep up with the ever
changing ways in which you can be scammed. The Social Security Administration has
provided some guidelines for all to follow. First, be alert and able to recognize typical
scammers. A scammer often pretends to be from an agency or organization you already
know. Scammers often say there is a problem or promise a prize and pressure you to act
immediately. Along with this they will tell you to pay in a specific way that is generally a
hard-to-trace manner. This is often with a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency,
wire transfer, money transfer, or by mailing cash. Do not give the scammers any money
or personal information. The best course of action is to just ignore them! If it is a phone
call, hang up or ignore the message. If it is a text or email, never click on links or
attachments. Be skeptical of a contact you did not initiate and hang up and reach out to
the organization directly if you want to verify if they have been trying to reach you.
Finally, always spread the word and warn your friends and family to watch out for scams.
