4个在夏天升温的骗局

Temperatures are on the rise, and so are summertime scams. While you’re enjoying a friendly cookout or relaxing by the pool, crooks are putting in extra hours devising schemes to separate you from your money. But you can avoid getting burned — no sunscreen required. Protect yourself by staying alert to these common warm weather scams.

1. 旅游陷阱

Snagging a deep discount on a vacation rental sounds like a dream come true. For some people, though, it can turn into a nightmare. Some fraudsters post fake photos on legitimate websites to lure victims and steal their money. Others post phony messages on social media claiming they must sell a non-refundable trip due to a family emergency. In both scenarios, the cost 是o good to be true.

保护自己免受旅游诈骗

Use your credit card to pay for summer travel expenses. Credit cards provide numerous consumer protections you just can’t get with other payment methods.

2. 活动门票诈骗

像很多人一样，这个夏天, you might have plans to catch your favorite band in concert or attend a limited-capacity outdoor festival. Fraudsters also have plans — but theirs include selling phony tickets to these events. Criminals will set up fake websites and post ads on social media to sell worthless tickets.

保护自己免受活动门票诈骗

Avoid this scam by dealing directly with the concert venue or trusted ticket retailers and resellers.

3. 暑期工作骗局

Some scammers are looking to make extra cash this summer by posing as employers. 扮演这个角色, they’re hoping to steal Social 安全 numbers and other personally identifiable information and sell it to other bad actors for a hefty fee. This information is valuable since it can be used to steal a person’s identity and open new credit accounts.

保护自己免受暑期工作骗局

Anyone who requests this personal data as part of an online job application or background check should require that you enter it using a secure online portal. Private information should never be provided via an unsecured email or text message.

4. 移动的诈骗

Many families make their move to a new home during the summer school break. 而移动诈骗可以随时发生, fake moving companies heat up their efforts after school lets out for the semester. These scams often involve low-ball estimates compared to other moving companies.

保护自己免受移动诈骗

Be wary of moving companies unwilling to provide references or who shy away from discussing details of the move before providing an estimate. Search for online reviews to learn about their customer service history. Don’t forget to ask moving companies if they’ve ever operated under a different name. Shady businesses often change their name so they’re no longer associated with previous bad reviews.

How to Protect Yourself from Scams Year-Round

Criminals use the same bag of payment tricks every season. Take these steps to protect your money 365 days a year:

• Do some research before responding to a new company that contacts you online. Scammers use phishing techniques to get people to provide sensitive financial data they can use to empty bank accounts.
• 坚持用信用卡付款. Never pay in cash or by another nontraceable means, such as pre-paid debit cards.
• Read all contracts fully and be sure you understand them before signing. They may include things you never discussed, 比如取消费用, 限制, 或者其他收费.
• Avoid any high-pressure tactics to get you to lock in a supposed deal before it disappears. Bad actors will falsely claim that a deal is only available for a limited time.
• Reconsider doing business with anyone who provides vague answers in response to your questions about.

Give scammers the cold shoulder and put their nasty attempts to steal your money on ice this summer. If you notice unusual activity on your Credit Union of Colorado accounts, contact us immediately at (800) 444-4816. You can also report suspected scams to the 联邦贸易委员会. They work with law enforcement to help fight scams in your community.