12/29/2025
‘Tis the season for scams so please be careful. There are always those who are “out to get you”, but around the holidays the likelihood for fraud is even greater. How can you protect yourself from identity theft (and financial theft via fraud)? First, learn to recognize some of the red flags common to most scams. These include:
1. Pressure to act fast. Typically, you’re not given time to consult with friends or family.
2. A threat. You’ll “miss out”; you’ll “lose the prize”; or your account will be hacked, etc.
3. Something feels wrong. An email, text, or call seems to come from a familiar source (your real estate agent, the IRS, someone from Medicare/Medicaid), but the inquiry is off base or there are typos in the email, text, or website.
4. Request for personally identifying information (PII). You might be asked to share credit card or bank account details, or even your Social Security number.
5. A deal that sounds too good to be true. As the saying goes, “it probably is.”
Remember, it never hurts to ask for a name, a number, more details, or more time to think things through. You can always say, “I’ll get back to you.” The biggest red flag of all is when a scammer doesn’t want to share their information or let you take the time you need.
Please stay informed, diligent and alert.
