[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right="" type="legacy"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="true" min_height="" hover_type="none" link="" border_sizes_top="" border_sizes_bottom="" border_sizes_left="" border_sizes_right="" first="true"][fusion_text columns="" column_min_width="" column_spacing="" rule_style="default" rule_size="" rule_color="" content_alignment_medium="" content_alignment_small="" content_alignment="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" class="" id="" font_size="" fusion_font_family_text_font="" fusion_font_variant_text_font="" line_height="" letter_spacing="" text_color="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""] Anti-Scam FAQ: What Is A No Roof Scam [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right="" type="legacy"][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="true" min_height="" hover_type="none" link="" border_sizes_top="" border_sizes_bottom="" border_sizes_left="" border_sizes_right="" first="true"][fusion_text columns="" column_min_width="" column_spacing="" rule_style="default" rule_size="" rule_color="" content_alignment_medium="" content_alignment_small="" content_alignment="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" class="" id="" font_size="" fusion_font_family_text_font="" fusion_font_variant_text_font="" line_height="" letter_spacing="" text_color="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""] Answer: With summer upon us, thunder, hurricanes, and hailstorms can wreak havoc. If you recently suffered damage to your roof from weather events, be wary of people coming to your door offering their repair services as these storms can bring out the worst in people. These scammers will make false promises to people needing to repair or replace their storm-damaged roofs. Many times they will ask for payment before they start working or the job is completed. The BBB has partnered with cities on a campaign called the "No Roof Scam" to help consumers spot roofing contractor fraud. [/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type="none" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" class="" id="" flex_grow="0" top_margin="40px" bottom_margin="" width="" alignment="center" border_size="0" sep_color="" icon="" icon_size="" icon_color="" icon_circle="" icon_circle_color="" /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Netflix Scam The popular streaming service is the target of an email phishing scam featuring the subject line "payment declined," which may get your attention if you are a subscriber. The email wants you to click on a link to update your credit card information. If you see this don't click on the link because it can be dangerous malware. Visit your Netflix account by typing the address in yourself to check your account as a safer means of verifying your account status. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning to consumers about emails being sent requesting updated payment info. Netflix has stated that customers can get more info to protect themselves against phishing scams and other malicious activity at netflix.com/security or by contacting its customer service department directly. The FTC also said consumers can report phishing scams at ftccomplaintassistant.gov or by forwarding them to the agency's spam@uce.gov address and to reportphishing@apwg.org, which is used by the Anti-Phishing Working Group, a coalition of internet service providers, security vendors, ﬁnancial institutions, and law enforcement agencies. In addition, the FTC recommends alerting Netflix, by forwarding the message to phishing@netflix.com.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Jury Duty Scams Another new spoofing phone call scam has popped up and involves scammers posing as judicial officials or police and calling people to let them know they failed to report for jury duty and owe a fine. Scammers can spoof law enforcement phone numbers or names so people receiving the call may think that the call is legitimate. The FBI in Atlanta has received numerous complaints about the scam from people in and around the Savannah, Georgia area.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: ATM Jackpotting Jackpotting is a new cyber-attack scam that the Secret Service warned financial institutions about criminals installing software or hardware on ATMs that force the machines to issue large amounts of cash. Criminals have found ways to exploit the standalone machines commonly found in pharmacies, big-box retailers, and some drive-thru ATMs. It's hard to know the exact financial implications because sometimes these crimes aren't disclosed publicly, but anytime money is missing, it's sure to have an impact on the banks and ultimately you—the consumer—in the former of higher fees or more obstacles to accessing your cash.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: IRS (U.S. Tax) Scam Whether you have received your tax refund check by now, are waiting on an extension from the Internal Revenue Service or are just starting to prepare your taxes, be on alert for scammers. The IRS, state tax agencies and the nation's tax industry are warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for scams as "a surge of new, sophisticated email phishing scams" are being reported. The holidays and tax season present great opportunities for scam artists to steal valuable information through fake emails the IRS states. They want consumers to watch out for email schemes that try to fool you into thinking they're from the IRS or partners in the tax community. In 2018, the IRS noted a 60% increase in bogus email schemes that seek to steal money or tax data. The tax season can also see threatening scam calls from fake IRS agents. These fake agents usually demand money from victims or state that they will be arrested. The IRS has stated publicly that the summer is when the calls usually increase. The calls can also be recorded messages left on your voicemail that leave the impression that if you do not call back, the IRS will issue a warrant for your arrest. It's important to note that the IRS does not ever call or leave urgent messages asking you to call them back. Taxpayers can forward these email schemes to phishing@irs.gov—then hit delete.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Instagram Fake Ads It can be difficult to tell what's real or not on social media these days—including advertisements. Scammers often post fake ads to get you to buy one product only to send you a cheap knockoff. Instagram has offered some tips if you think you have come across a suspicious ad: You can learn more about an account if you go to their profile, tap the menu and then select "About This Account." There, you can see the date the account joined Instagram, the country where the account is located, accounts with shared followers, and username changes. Within "About this Account," you can also see all ads that the business is currently running. People can report an account, an ad, or a post that they feel is misleading. To report an ad, click the "..." on the top right of the ad and click Report Ad. Follow the on-screen instructions and select "It's a scam or it's misleading." You can always go back and visit your own ad interactions, including all ads you have clicked on in Stories and Feed, from the past 90 days within your Settings.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Grandparent Scam This scam has been around and has seen an increase in activity of late. Depending on who answers the phone call, the person on the other line will say, "Hi, Grandpa" or "Hi, Grandma" pretending to be the grandson or granddaughter of the older victim. The scammer then tells them a story that ends with, "I need money right away to… (insert issue here—pay my traffic ticket, post bail, pay for an ambulance)." All of this is said without providing too many details. If pushed, the scammers will say things like "please don't tell Mom or Dad" or "My nose is broken, so I may sound strange." Victims can end up wiring money to the scammers as a result. Read more here about other senior scams.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Gift Card Scams The BBB is warning people about emails offering help to check their gift card balances. If you receive one of these emails, do not click open or click links within. Scammers use these emails websites in order to get your card number and PIN in order to drain your account. The BBB offers the following tips to avoid gift card balance scams: Go to the retailer's website: If you need to check a gift card balance, go to the site listed on the back of the card itself. If there is none, go to the website of the company and look for a link to the gift card page. Use gift cards right away: A good way to avoid scams and other issues is to simply use gift cards soon after you receive them. Examine the gift card before buying: Before purchasing a gift card, be sure to give it a thorough look to make sure the PIN isn't exposed, or the packaging hasn't been tampered with. Register your gift card with the retailers: If the retailer allows the option to register your gift card, take full advantage. registering your gift card makes it easier to keep track of any misuse occurring, that way you can report it sooner and potentially end up saving the money that is stored.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Fortnite Scam Fortnite: Battle Royale has more than 125 million players worldwide, and that tremendous pull extends to hackers and scammers too. Players and parents should pay attention as Fortnite creator Epic Games is warning gamers about the most common Fornite scam involving "free V-bucks." Scammers offer free or discounted v-bucks, the in-game currency, to help players elevate their game. What can result in identity theft, downloading malware on a device or having your money stolen.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Airbnb Scam This scam takes advantage of travelers renting an apartment or house through Airbnb by featuring fake homes on the site and directing the renter to a fraudulent or "spoof" website to finalize payment. Scammers will often even trick real owners, who don't know their property is being spoofed. Potential travelers end up paying money for a rental property that either doesn't exist or isn't available.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Apple Care Scam This new smartphone scam uses phishing emails to send Apple users to a fake Apple website. iPhone users receive a pop-up image of a system dialog box that tells users their phone has been "locked for illegal activity." When users click on the link, scammers enroll them into a fraudulent "mobile device management service" that allows scammers to send malware apps to iPhones. Read more here about phishing scams and how to spot them.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Car Scams The FBI shared information on a growing scam in which crooks target people looking to buy cars and other vehicles online. The FBI has received 26,967 complaints with losses totaling $54,032,396 since tracking this issue from May 2014 through December 2017. This car scamstarts with a criminal posting an online advertisement with a low price to get the attention of a buyer, including photos of the vehicle and contact information. When a buyer reaches out, the "seller" sends more photos and what appears as a logical reason why the price is discounted and indicates a need to sell. The criminal then instructs you to purchase prepaid gift cards in the amount of the sale and share the prepaid codes. You're usually told you'll receive the vehicle in a couple of days, but victims never hear from the scammers again.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Death Threat Hoax The FBI has warned consumers about death threats being made through emails that state "I will be short. I've got an order to kill you." The email then demands money or bitcoin as a payout from the email recipients. Other versions of the scam could state that a "hitman has been hired to kill" them. This scam is very aggressive and threatening in nature to convince people that they have to pay or else.

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Fake Bank Apps Scammers will spoof the apps of big banks in order to separate you from your money. A recent survey by Avast, a multi-national cybersecurity firm, found that one in three worldwide users mistakenly believed that a fake mobile banking app was the real thing, putting their financial data at risk. Thieves use the big customer base of major banks to try to get past the secure app stores and collect personal information.

Scam FAQ: How To Spot A Scam How Can I Tell If Something Might Be A Scam? It’S Probably A Scam If Someone: Makes an offer that sounds too good to be true; Promises that you can win money, make money, or borrow money easily; Asks for money to enter a contest, win a sweepstake or lottery, or claim a prize; Refuses to send you written information before you agree to buy or donate; Refuses to give you a physical address; Refuses to give you the details of the offer before you make any payment; Requests your bank account or credit card number when you are not making a purchase with that account; Uses scare tactics or pressure to act immediately; Insists that you wire money or have a courier pick up your payment; Refuses to stop calling after you’ve asked not to be called again; Contacts you to ask for personal information the company already has. Gives you a check or money order and asks you to send some of the money somewhere.

SCARS FAQ: FAQs

Q: U.S. Medicare Card Scam

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: U.S. Medicare Card Scam The Federal Government mailed out new Medicare cards that now have an 11-digit identification number instead of an enrollee's Social Security number to help protect seniors from identity theft. About 59 million people will receive the cards with a requirement from Congress that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards by April 2019. Because of the update, scammers are taking to the phones to try trick people into giving them their new 11-digit identification number so they can take over their identity. According to an Allianz survey, the elder financial abuse victims average loss was $36,000.

Q: Home Improvement Scams?

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Home Improvement Scams Another common seasonal scam centers around home improvement. As the weather gets nicer, homeowners often look to improve their homes. The Better Business Bureau says in 2017, there were nearly 350 home improvement scams reported to BBB Scam Tracker across the U.S., resulting in more than $600,000 lost. Some scammers go door-to-door, offering to do improvement projects. They may take a deposit, and then never complete the work If you're not sure the salesman is legit, you can ask for a card and get back to them once you have been able to research the company by visiting the BBB website. These scams can also happen after major national disasters — hail storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, mudslides, and fires, among other things.

Q: Amazon Fake Order Cancellation Emails?

SCARS™ Anti-Scam FAQ: Amazon Fake Order Cancellation Emails If you get an email about an order cancellation from Amazon.com, there's a good chance it's a scam. Click on links in the email and you could unintentionally download malware onto your device. Or you might be sent to a site that aims to collect your Amazon account information, like your username and password. If you receive such an email and recently placed an order, go to Amazon.com to check your order status.