Public Service Announcement

[Jherrith]

Scammers are always looking for new ways to steal from unsuspecting victims. One of the most common schemes is related to gift cards.

In September, the Federal Trade Commission issued a warning to consumers about these types of scams. The agency explained that no government agency or trustworthy business will implore you to pay for something with gift cards.

Here are some of the most common gift card scams to be aware of:


Phone calls or emails declaring you the winner of a sweepstakes, but telling you to pay fees using a gift card before you can receive your prize.

A person who is pretending to be in the military and asks you to give them a gift card so they can buy something before deployment.

Anyone who is selling something online and asks you to pay for it with gift cards.

Someone posing as a utility person and asking you to pay your bill with a gift card.

[Jherrith]

The holiday season is upon us and millions of Americans will donate millions of dollars to charitable organizations that are raising money for various causes. In 2020, the need for donations is even greater because of the pandemic. But while people are trying to figure out how to help, criminals are trying to figure out how to steal your money and identities.

Here are six ways everyone can protect themselves from charity scams:

Do not give anyone your personal or financial information.

If you want to donate to a charity, go directly to their website.

Only enter your personal information into secured websites.

Do not donate over the phone if someone has called you.

Always research the charity you want to donate to.

Be aware, thieves can spoof websites.