Protecting Yourself From Scams & Fraud
If you were scammed or think you saw a scam please call our Scams hotline at (718) 556-7226 (SCAM) or contact us at: reportscams@rcda.nyc.gov.
As we continue to see the proliferation of scams across our borough, here at the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office, we remain both committed to prosecuting scammers and holding them accountable for their illicit schemes but also leading education and prevention efforts to raise awareness about how to avoid falling victim to scams. As part of our mission, our office leads scams prevention presentations in the community as well as hosting free and safe shredding events to ensure residents can dispose of documents containing secure personal information.
Scams may be ever-changing, however their common tactics and contact methods tend to stay the same. Scroll through the below to learn how to recognize scams, how to protect yourself from falling victim, and how to report a scam if you do unfortunately fall victim.
Scammers Pretend To Be From An Organization You Know.
Scammers often pretend to be contacting you on behalf of the government. They might use a real name, like the Social Security Administration, the IRS, or Medicare, or make up a name that sounds official. Some pretend to be from a business you know, like a utility company, a tech company, or even a charity asking for donations. They use technology to change the phone number that appears on your caller ID. So the name and number you see might not be real.
Scammers Say There’s A Problem Or A Prize.
They might say you’re in trouble with the government. Or you owe money. Or someone in your family had an emergency. Or that there’s a virus on your computer. Some scammers say there’s a problem with one of your accounts and that you need to verify some information. Others will lie and say you won money in a lottery or sweepstakes but have to pay a fee to get it.
Scammers Pressure You To Act Immediately.
Scammers want you to act before you have time to think. If you’re on the phone, they might tell you not to hang up so you can’t check out their story. They might threaten to arrest you, sue you, take away your driver’s or business license, or deport you. They might say your computer is about to be corrupted.
Scammers Tell You To Pay In A Specific Way.
How to avoid falling victim to scams
When contacted by an unknown individual, always verify that the person who you are talking to is who they say they are.
Take the time to hang-up and check the phone number, usually if it is for a company they have a 1-800 number you can call to verify that they are trying to reach you.Block or Send Unknown Callers to Voicemail.
Silence unknown calls and let them go to voicemail. If it is important, they will leave a message! Be wary of text messages noting that you have an unpaid bill and that encourage you to click a link to pay, this is most likely a scam.Never Give Out Our Personal Information Over The Phone.
Protect your personal information and be cautious about what information you give out.Resist The Pressure To Act Immediately.
Pressure is a common tactic scammers use to make you think you have to respond immediately. Once you tell a scammer that you will verify their information first, they will become disinterested as they can tell you are growing suspicious.Keep Accounts Safe By Setting Up Two-Factor Authentication.
When offered the opportunity to set up two-factor authentication on your accounts, be sure to do so. This requires an additional step for logging into accounts that requires a second layer of checks to ensure you are who you say you are. This method makes it much harder for scammers to hack into your accounts.Be Suspicious If Someone Asks You To Pay Via Wire Transfer, Money Order, or Prepaid Gift Card or If they Ask to Meet Up in Person to Exchange Funds.
If you do have to pay someone, be sure to do so via a method you can track and never pay someone with a gift card. Gift cards are for gifts only. No company, organization, or government entity will ever ask you to pay via Cashapp, Zelle or gift card.
Remember also that no company or government entity will come to your house to collect the funds in cash or gift cards. This is a scam.
SCAM ALERT: As cryptocurrency becomes increasingly popular for investors, scams involving cryptocurrency are on the rise with scammers now asking individuals to pay via Cryptocurrency.
Remember that no government agency or company will ask you to pay via Cryptocurrency! Remain vigilant and never allow any unauthorized access to your cryptocurrency wallets and keep your account passwords and usernames safe at all times. If you have a feeling it is a scam, hang up and call your banking company directly!
If You Paid A Scammer
Scammers can be very convincing.
They call, email, and send us text messages trying to get our money or our sensitive personal information — like our Social Security number or account numbers. And they're good at what they do. Take these steps if you have paid someone you think is a scammer or gave them your personal information. Make sure to file a police report with your local precinct.
did you pay with a credit or debit card?
Contact the company or bank that issued the card. Tell them it was a fraudulent charge and ask them if they are able to reverse the charge.
Did a scammer make an unauthorized transfer from your bank account?
Contact your bank and tell them it was an unauthorized debit or withdrawal. Ask them to reverse the transaction and refund your money.
Did you pay with a gift card?
Contact the company that issued the gift card. Tell them it was used in a scam and ask if they can refund your money. Keep the gift card itself, and the gift card receipt.
Did you send a wire transfer through a company like Western Union or MoneyGram?
Contact your bank and report the fraudulent transfer. Ask if they can reverse the wire transfer and give you your money back.
Did you send money through a money transfer app?
Report the fraudulent transaction to the company behind the money transfer app (Cash App, Venmo, PayPal) and ask if they can reverse the payment. If you linked the app to a credit card or debit card, report the fraud to your credit card company or bank. Ask if they can reverse the charge.
If You Gave A Scammer Your Personal Information:
Did You Give A Scammer Your Username And Password?
Create a new, strong password. If you use the same password anywhere else, change it there too.
If A Scammer Has Access To Your Computer Or Phone:
Update your computer’s security software, run a scan, and delete anything it identifies as a problem. Then take other steps to protect your personal information.
Reporting Options:
1. Report To Your Bank And Credit Card Company.
As soon as you suspect you may have been a victim of fraud, notify your bank and credit reporting agency. Your credit reporting agency can place a freeze on your account and establish an alert to prevent further fraud from occurring.
2. File A Police Report
Contact your local precinct and file a police report detailing that you have been a victim of a scam and explain the incident in detail. Be sure to keep all evidence of communication.
3. Make a Report To RCDA’s Scam Hotline:
Phone: 718-556-7226
Email: reportscams@rcda.nyc.gov
4. Report Fraud And Identity Theft To The Federal Trade Commission.
Go to identitytheft.gov to follow their reporting process
5. Call The Company Where Fraud Occurred Directly.
Notify them that you have been a victim of a scam and ask them to close or freeze the account and change the login information.
Other Steps To Take If You Are A Victim:
If a scammer has access to your computer, update your computer’s security software, run a scan, and delete anything it may identify as a problem.