This shred week, we are discussing wa
ys to protect yourself from identity theft. Today we are specifically focusing on social engineering.
Fraudsters are crafty individuals that trick people out of money. They look for victims who willingly share information through a variety of channels including email, phone calls and text messages.
Social engineering is the use of manipulative tactics to trick victims into performing a desired action or disclosing private information.
Fraudsters conduct social engineering through:
Phishing: the practice of sending fraudulent emails or other messages to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
Vishing: the practice of making fraudulent phone calls or leaving voice messages to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as bank details and credit card numbers.
Smishing: the practice of sending fraudulent text messages to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords, one-time-passcodes, or credit card numbers.
Pretexting: Social engineering that plays upon emotions by creating a story to charm or scare a victim into disclosing information or giving money – oftentimes in the form of gift card(s) or cash so that it is untraceable.
Common types of scams
- Romance Scams
- Read our blog: Romance & Dating Scams – Alaska Air Group Credit Union
- Business Opportunity/Employment Scam
- IRS/Government Scam
Signs of a scam
- Contacting you directly
- Playing upon emotions (romance, fear, etc.)
- Pressure is ramped up when you push back
- Asking for personal information
- You pay them
- They want cash or gift cards
Learn how to Protect yourself from identity theft – Alaska Air Group Credit Union here.
Note: Once you send money to a scammer, there may be no way to recoup your money. If you sent the money yourself, you are authorizing the transaction and it is not protected by the federal government, meaning you could be out thousands of dollars.
Watch our video here to learn more:
Keep an eye out for more tips and tricks this Shred week!