It seems inevitable that at some point, you will fall for a scam. The scammers are getting more cunning and sophisticated in their ways and means to get you to your money, info, and Identity. They want you to click on a link that you shouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. Scammers worked hard during the pandemic to trick you and now, they have discovered even more ways to trick you into clicking.

Right now, the scammers are sending you texts and emails. Even your work email could be scrutinized. Scammers will use your shopping habits to make you think you need to click a link to receive your purchase. And although the emails are pretty vague in detailed info about what you purchased, sometimes we still fall for it. But, sometimes the emails and texts make no sense at all if you know what to look for and read them very carefully.

According to consumer.ftc.gov, here are some email and texting red flags for you to look out for.

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information
  • say you must confirm some personal information
  • include a fake invoice
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund
  • offer a coupon for free stuff

Right now, the Indiana State Attorney General has issued a warning about an unsubscribe scam.

The scammer will email someone telling them they must unsubscribe from a free-trial service in order to avoid additional charges. The email then instructs people to phone a call center where an operator will direct you to a fake company website and lead them through a series of online steps that will install dangerous malware into your computer.

Please don't click any link or call any number that you don't know for sure that it's legit. Always check first.

I recently received both of these scamming emails via my WKDQ email.

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There are so many things wrong with this email. First of all, there is no such thing as a stimulus request form. You either qualify and are eligible, or you don't. And, the NOTE, in red, is trying to send me to a user profile. Again, there is NO user profile for the government. Your tax return, and only your tax return, is in your user profile.

Scammers send similar texts with links to try and get your money. Here are some text examples, from my own phone and a listener named Joe, of what scamming texts look like.

SCAM ALERT: Text Scams That Look Legit Are On The Rise Involving Apple, FedEx, Food Stamps and More

These are some scamming texts I have received in the past. These are CRAZY! You'll see.

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Whatever you do, NEVER click one of the blue links in a text like the ones above. You know, better yet, even if the link is another color, NEVER click it. You know scammers are gonna start changing it up.

And, always remember, NEVER give your personal or your financial information to anybody, in person, in an email, or over the phone.

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