It’s that magical time of the year – time for slick scammers to try to part you and your money. Is your relative really in need of gift card bail payments? Is that really your boss asking for gift card PIN numbers? Has a friend traveling out of state lost his/her wallet and needs emergency cash? The answer is no, no and NO! According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing more than $8.8 billion to fraud in 2022, a 44% increase over the prior year. Scammers are professional impostors. They pretend to be a relative, a utility company or even your bank. Scammers want to make you panic and overreact without thinking. A loved one in trouble, a late bill or an amazing deal are all tactics to throw you off. I once received an email from one of my son’s friends (not really!), saying that he was in Europe and had lost his wallet, along with his cash and credit cards. This frightened me at first, because I was in Europe myself, spending a month in Ukraine. I thought “Tom” knew that and that’s why he contacted me rather than his own mother back in West Virginia. Fortunately, I came to my senses before I wired that money!

Scammers will want your money fast. They tell you to send funds immediately, often via wire transfer or payment apps where money is unlikely to be recovered. Scammers often use social media to deceive. They try to befriend you, strike up a relationship, then hit you with exclusive “insider” deals and get-rich-quick schemes.

Contact Mary Ellen at 304-366-6289 or maryehaney@aol.com.

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