SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO—Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro is encouraging residents to take steps in 2023 to safeguard their finances and personal information from fraudsters and scam artists. The Better Business Bureau recently recommended five resolutions everyone can make to protect themselves and their loves ones.
“Scammers are not calling it quits in 2023 so we all must take steps to protect ourselves from fraud. I encourage Summit County residents to include these simple actions in their New Year’s resolutions.”
Resolution 1: Be cautious with email. Be wary of unsolicited emails, even ones that may look legitimate at first glance. Never click on links or open attachments in unsolicited emails.
Resolution 2: Never send money to strangers. If you don’t know someone, do not send them money! Be especially wary if someone asks you to transfer funds using a pre-paid debit card or payment app like CashApp. Scammers will create a sense of urgency. Think it through before you make a payment.
Resolution 3: Do research before making online payments and purchases. If you do online shopping, research the retailer before paying. Does the website look legit? A legitimate retailer should have a working customer service phone number, a physical address and a secure server (https://).
Resolution 4: Use my best judgment when sharing my personal information. Scammers are looking to get your personal information and steal your identity. Never share financial information, birthdate, address, Social Security/Social Insurance number or Medicare number with an unsolicited caller or emailer.
Resolution 5: Be social media smart. Social media is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends and keep up on the latest news. Sadly, it’s also a great tool for scammers. Make sure you turn on privacy settings and only connect with people you know. Be cautious when posting personal information in your profile. Do not share your address or other sensitive information.
To learn more about scams, go to BBB.org/ScamTips. For more about avoiding scams, check out BBB.org/AvoidScams. If you’ve been targeted by this scam, help others avoid the same problem by reporting your experience at BBB.org/ScamTracker.
