University of Wyoming students and Laramie residents should keep an eye on their personal information. The Better Business Bureau of Northern Colorado and Wyoming said scammers try to dupe people out of their credit card number, bank accounts, and attempt to steal identities throughout the nation. BBB Media Manager Luanne Kadlub said “no one is immune.” She said scammers have favorite targets in Wyoming, such as senior citizens and military personnel. They also target new citizens who can’t speak English very well. Kadlub warned consumers should check the BBB for companies they have never heard of, and take certain steps to protect their identities over the phone and online.
She said upfront fees are usually a “red flag” since they can be for services you could easily do yourself and that banks are not allowed to charge upfront fees. Kadlub said consumers should politely ask for contact information from an unknown caller, and offer to call them back before ending the call. Then they should contact their bank or credit card company directly from the numbers listed on their statements, instead of giving information out to an unknown caller.
She warned that the consumer should do the same with a suspicious e-mail, and contact the company directly instead through their official e-mail address or phone number to avoid viruses and “phishing,” where the information could be stolen.
Kadlub also said to deal with local contractors first for home improvement. She cautioned that scammers posing as contractors will converge on areas hit by snowstorms and hailstorms, do shoddy work or none at all, and flee.
Employment/Job Scams
Secret shopper schemes, work-from-home scams and other phony job offers often begin with emails, websites and online applications followed by telephone interviews and requests to provide credit reports and bank information for direct deposit of paychecks. Of course, there is no job.
Check Cashing Scams
A buyer sends a check for more than the amount and requests that the extra be returned via wire service. The check is phony and you lose the money you returned.
Sweepstakes/Lottery Scams
Sweepstakes and lottery scams come in all shapes and sizes, but the bottom line is almost always this: You’ve won a whole lot of money, and in order to claim it you have to send a smaller amount of money to cover fees and “taxes.”
Financial Scams
When the federal government expanded mortgage relief programs, sound-alike websites popped up to fool consumers. Most ask for an upfront fee to deal and almost all leave you in more debt than when you started.
Social Media Scams
Viral videos claiming to be sent by friends have links that prompt you to “upgrade your Flash player,” but the file actually contains a worm that logs into your social media account, sends similar messages to your friends, and searches for your personal data.
Penny Auctions
Penny auctions claim you can get something useful – cameras, computers, etc. – for next to nothing. But you pay a small fee for each bid (usually 50 cents to $1) and if you aren’t the winner, you lose all the money you bid.
Home Improvement Scams
Traveling contractors offer homeowners great deals on roofing, paving or home repair but deliver shoddy work or take your money and run. Find a trustworthy home contractor at wynco.bbb.org.
Hotel Identity Theft Scams
In 2011, hotels began posting warnings in their lobbies to beware of phony middle-of-the-night calls to their rooms informing them of a hotel computer crash and that their credit card information is needed again.
Phishing Scams
Phishing emails install viruses on your computer to hunt for personal financial data.
They look like legitimate requests from your bank/insurance company/Internet provider to update account information as well as legitimate messages from well-known companies and brands (this year, even the BBB name was used in one such scam!).
