{"id":3989,"date":"2025-07-09T18:39:46","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T18:39:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lcfcu.org\/wph\/workarea\/?p=3989"},"modified":"2025-08-10T15:44:32","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T15:44:32","slug":"5-common-financial-scams-and-what-to-do-to-avoid-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lcfcu.org\/wph\/workarea\/5-common-financial-scams-and-what-to-do-to-avoid-them\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Common Financial Scams and WHAT TO DO to Avoid Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Protect your hard-earned money by staying alert to these common scams:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1) Fake Checks &amp; Overpayments<\/strong><br>You\u2019re sent a check (often for too much) and asked to send back the difference. This happens in fake job offers, prize scams, or online sales. The check eventually bounces, and you&#8217;re out the money you sent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WHAT TO DO:<\/strong> <em>Never send money back from a check you received. Use secure payment methods and verify who you&#8217;re dealing with. Trust your instincts.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2) Debt Collection Scams<\/strong><br>Scammers pose as collectors for debts you don\u2019t owe\u2014or already paid\u2014and demand payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WHAT TO DO:<\/strong> <em>Don\u2019t share personal info. Ask for proof, research the agency, and check licensing. Watch for threats or refusal to send details in writing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3) Phishing<\/strong><br>Fraudsters send fake emails or texts pretending to be banks or companies, trying to steal your account info or personal data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WHAT TO DO:<\/strong> <em>Don\u2019t click links or open attachments. Verify the message by contacting the company directly using trusted contact info.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4) Imposter Scams<\/strong><br>Scammers pose as government agencies, charities, or law enforcement to pressure you into sending money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WHAT TO DO:<\/strong> <em>Don\u2019t act on fear. Call the real agency to confirm. Legit organizations won\u2019t ask for gift cards or wire transfers.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5) Job Scams<\/strong><br>Fake employers offer jobs, then send checks and ask you to forward part of the money. The check is fake, and you lose what you send.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WHAT TO DO:<\/strong> <em>Verify job listings on the company\u2019s website. Be wary of offers without interviews and avoid sending money or personal info before confirming legitimacy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stay Informed. Stay Safe.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Knowing the signs of a scam is your first line of defense. Trust your instincts and always verify before taking action.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Protect your hard-earned money by staying alert to these common scams: 1) Fake Checks &amp; OverpaymentsYou\u2019re sent a check (often for too much) and asked to send back the difference. This happens in fake job offers, prize scams, or online sales. The check eventually bounces, and you&#8217;re out the money you sent. WHAT TO DO: [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":3990,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","attr_subtitle":[""],"attr_date":["July 1, 2025"],"attr_excerpt":[""],"attr_secondary_image":[""],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[13,16,15],"class_list":["post-3989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories-from-the-stacks-blog","tag-fraud","tag-personal-finance","tag-top-scams"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>5 Common Financial Scams and WHAT TO DO to Avoid Them - Library Of Congress FCU<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Common Financial Scams and WHAT TO DO to Avoid Them - Library Of Congress FCU\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Protect your hard-earned money by staying alert to these common scams: 1) Fake Checks &amp; OverpaymentsYou\u2019re sent a check (often for too much) and asked to send back the difference. 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