Is this a Scam? Common Examples and How to Handle Them

Scammers are constantly inventing new ways to separate you from your money. If you’re being asked to pay money, provide personal information, or click on a link, and something doesn’t feel quite right, chances are, you’re right. Here are some recent scams we've seen that you should look out for:

Fraudulent texts

You receive a text message that looks like it’s from your credit union or bank, asking you to click on a link or respond.

We’re seeing an increase in scam texts from cybercriminals impersonating Virginia Credit Union. Protect yourself against text messages you don’t trust: DO NOT CLICK on any links and DO NOT feel pressured to reply or provide personal information. DO NOT provide your debit or credit card number, PIN, or security code. When in doubt, call us directly at 804-323-6800.

Experiencing this type of scam? Here are your next steps.

Fraudulent calls

A customer service representative from the government or a bank calls you.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from a government agency or financial institution, and they're asking you to provide personal information, be alert that this could be a scam. Instead of responding, simply hang up and call their official number listed online or on the back of your debit or credit card.

Our members are receiving calls from scammers impersonating Virginia Credit Union. DO NOT feel pressured to provide personal information. DO NOT provide your debit or credit card number, PIN, or security code. When in doubt, call us directly at 804-323-6800.

Experiencing this type of scam? Here are your next steps.

Fraudulent e-commerce ads

You see an ad on social media for an unbelievable deal, and when you click through to the website to make a purchase, the Web address doesn’t match the name of the company.

Scammers can spoof legitimate social media profiles and websites, posing as sellers of legitimate goods that you may have even recently purchased. You might fill your online cart with items at unbelievable discounts and seemingly purchase them, even receiving confirmation emails and tracking numbers. But you never receive your items. Once the payment clears, it’s hard to get your money back.

To prevent falling victim to this type of scam, always carefully check Web addresses of sites you visit. DO NOT provide any debit or credit card information or payment information if a Web address does not look legitimate. Instead, look up the company’s website independently.

Experiencing this type of scam? Here are your next steps.

Check scams

Someone offers to send you a check and asks you to send money back to them.

This is a common check scam. Your contact may claim to be buying something you advertised, paying you to do work at home, giving you an “advance” on a sweepstakes you’ve supposedly won, or paying the first installment on the millions that you’ll receive for agreeing to have money in a foreign country transferred to your account for safekeeping. Whatever the story, they often claim to be in another country and tell you to wire money to them after you’ve deposited the check. But just because you can withdraw money, doesn’t mean a check is good. It can take weeks for the counterfeit or forgery to be discovered and the check to bounce.

How to avoid a check scam? Be wary of situations that seem too good to be true. If a stranger wants to pay you for something, insist on a cashier’s check for the exact amount, preferably from a local credit union or bank, or a credit union or bank that has a branch in your area.

Experiencing this type of scam? Here are your next steps.

Package delivery notification scams

You receive a text, email, or phone call informing you that you have a package waiting. The message appears to be from a delivery service with which you are familiar (FedEx, UPS, or USPS), but claims they are unable to deliver the package.

With the rise of online shopping, this package delivery scam has proliferated. You’re asked to click on a link and verify personal information or click on an authentic-looking website, but you inadvertently sign up for a hard-to-cancel service.

Experiencing this type of scam? Here are your next steps.

Offers from old friends

You hear from an old classmate out of the blue on Facebook Messenger, and they send you a link about a giveaway or government stimulus program they heard about.

Scammers can take control of or duplicate Facebook profiles and use this method to steal your money. Typically, the victim is asked to text the “friend” on a number controlled by the scammer and then urged to pay an up-front fee and/or supply personal information to collect the non-existent money. Victims who do send the money are then urged to send even more fees until they catch on. Unfortunately, the money is often sent via wire transfer or gift cards, which are extremely difficult or impossible to stop or reverse.

Experiencing this type of scam? Here are your next steps.

Tax refund fraud

You receive a notice from the IRS or a tax professional that tells you: 1) more than one tax return was filed; 2) your benefits were reduced or canceled because the IRS received information reporting an income change; 3) you have a balance due, have a refund offset, or have had collection actions taken for a year you did not file a tax return; or 4) records indicate you received more wages than you earned.

Tax refund fraud begins as identity theft. Once identity thieves have obtained your personal information, they complete a tax return in your name and Social Security number with false W-2 statements. They request that the tax refund be deposited into their bank account, not yours.

Experiencing this type of scam? Report the incident to the IRS.

What to do once you know you’re being scammed

 Report it: If you catch a fraud attempt from the beginning, congrats! You outsmarted the scammers and avoided losing your money, identity, or both. If the scammers are impersonating Virginia Credit Union, please report by forwarding or sending screenshots to reportabuse@vacu. For other scams, consider reporting them to the National Fraud Information Center, a service of the nonprofit National Consumers League.

 Freeze accounts: If you inadvertently provide personal information to a scammer, click on a scam link, or become a victim of a scam in any way, contact your financial institution(s) immediately and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. You can follow our identity theft checklist to ensure you take all of the necessary actions.

 Freeze your credit: If the scam involves your credit, contact the fraud departments of the credit bureaus to file a report and freeze your credit.

 Stay vigilant: Keep up with the latest scams and trust yourself if something seems suspicious. Brush up on our red flags to keep an eye out for and know we’re in this together!