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Knock Knock Scam Incoming: How to Avoid Scammers

Terry Bell

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Scammers are everywhere these days. They're lurking in our email inboxes, waiting to trick us into giving up our personal information or money. They're even showing up at our doorsteps, posing as legitimate businesses or charities.

KNOCK KNOCK SCAM INCOMING: HOW TO AVOID SCAMMERS

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	571 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	38 pages

Don't let scammers ruin your day. Learn how to protect yourself with these tips:

1. Be wary of unsolicited emails and text messages

If you receive an email or text message from someone you don't know, be cautious. It could be a scam. Scammers often use phishing emails and text messages to trick people into giving up their personal information or money.

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

The email or text message is from a sender you don't recognize.
The email or text message contains typos or grammatical errors.
The email or text message asks you to click on a link or open an attachment.
The email or text message threatens you with consequences if you don't take action.

If you're not sure whether an email or text message is legitimate, don't click on any links or open any attachments. Instead, hover over the sender's name or email address to see if it matches the name of the person or organization you're expecting to hear from. You can also contact the sender directly to verify the authenticity of the message.

2. Never give out your personal information over the phone or email

Scammers often try to trick people into giving up their personal information over the phone or email. They may pose as a legitimate business or charity, and they may offer you a free prize or a special deal.

Never give out your personal information to someone you don't know. This includes your name, address, phone number, Social Security number, and credit card number.

3. Be careful about clicking on links or opening attachments in emails

Scammers often use phishing emails to trick people into clicking on links or opening attachments that contain malware. Malware is software that can damage your computer or steal your personal information.

Never click on a link or open an attachment in an email from someone you don't know. Even if the email appears to be from a legitimate business or charity, it's always best to be cautious.

4. Use strong passwords and change them regularly

Scammers can guess weak passwords, so it's important to use strong passwords for all of your online accounts. A strong password is at least 8 characters long and includes a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols.

It's also important to change your passwords regularly. Scammers can use old passwords to access your accounts, so it's a good idea to change them every few months.

5. Keep your software up to date

Scammers often exploit security vulnerabilities in software to gain access to computers and steal personal information. It's important to keep your software up to date to protect yourself from these vulnerabilities.

You can usually update your software by going to the manufacturer's website. You can also enable automatic updates so that your software will update itself automatically.

6. Report scams to the authorities

If you think you've been scammed, it's important to report it to the authorities. This will help to protect others from falling victim to the same scam.

You can report scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-382-4357 or online at

https://www.ftc.gov/complaint.

You can also report scams to your local police department or sheriff's office.

Scammers are a constant threat, but you can protect yourself by following these tips. By being aware of the warning signs and taking steps to protect yourself, you can avoid becoming a victim of a scam.

For more information on scams, visit the FTC's website at

https://www.ftc.gov/consumer-protection/scams.

KNOCK KNOCK SCAM INCOMING: HOW TO AVOID SCAMMERS

5 out of 5