Your Guide to Scammers’ Vocabulary

Scammers are so active and they’re continually evolving new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting victims.

However, knowledge is power, and arming yourself with knowledge about HOW they may try to scam you may make it more possible for you to protect yourself from their tricks in the future. Scammers rely on confusion, urgency, and unfamiliarity. If you don’t recognize what’s happening, it’s easier to fall for it.

This guide breaks down essential scam-related vocabulary that will help you be aware of potential attacks, as well as help you stay ahead of scammers’ tricks.

Common Scam Terms You Should Know

Phishing

Phishing is when scammers use fraudulent emails, texts, or messages that appear to come from legitimate sources.These messages may include links to fake websites or requests for personal/account information, all of which are designed to encourage you to give up your information.

Phishing scams often include urgency, and may tell you that you need to respond or share information immediately or face dire consequences. Two other terms you might want to know are “smishing” (scams sent by SMS or text message) and “vishing” (scams conducted by phone call).

How to Handle Phishing Attempts

• Never click suspicious links. Instead, go directly to the official website.
• Stop and think. Does this seem like a reasonable request? Is it likely that the president of your financial institution would ask you to send him money on CashApp? Is it likely that your local police department would threaten to throw you in jail unless you immediately send them $10,000? If you’re at all in doubt, end the conversation and reach out directly to the institution the scammer claims to be associated with.

Spoofing

Spoofing occurs when a scammer disguises their identity to appear trustworthy. The most common spoofing occurs when someone uses a fake number on caller ID, so that their calls appear to be from a different institution.

Spoofing can also be done through email. For example, scammers sometimes spoof emails by using an address that is just slightly different from the real email address. They might send a message from techsupport@appl.com pretending to be from Apple, or from andrewsfcu.com instead of andrewsfcu.org.

Beyond that, they may even spoof a website, building a fake website to link to their fake emails, so they can convince you to take the extra step of entering your personal information into the site. Each additional step they can get you to take adds to their image of authenticity and makes it more likely that you’ll share information.

How to Handle Spoofing Attempts

• Check to see that websites have the https:// symbol, indicating a higher level of security.
• Verify that you’re on the right page.
• Watch for poor spelling or grammar on pages or in messages, which could indicate that it was created by a scammer rather than a reputable business.

Social Engineering

Social engineering involves manipulating people into revealing confidential information or taking actions.

Social engineering can take place on a social media platform, but it can also occur through a phone call or an email message.

For example, one common social engineering scheme targets the elderly. The scammer pretends to be their grandchild and to be in financial distress or danger. The scammers can be very convincing - they may use photos from social media or details gathered there (nicknames, family history, etc.) to convince their victim to quickly send money. Again, these scams rely on urgency and fear, so they can get you to send money without considering the actual accuracy of the situation.

Romance scams can also be part of social engineering. These scams prey on loneliness and build a sense of connection and intimacy, so the victim feels comfortable with giving money to the scammer. Scammers may chat with their victims, “love bomb” them and tell them they see a future together, only to then ask for money to cover a family emergency or to pay for travel. The scammer then vanishes with the funds.

How to Handle Social Engineering Attempts

Social engineering preys on trust and on the victim’s fears. If someone asks you to send money right away, be suspicious. One large red flag is if they ask you not to tell anyone - not to reach out to other family members or to the police. Be very wary - it’s unlikely that your family member is going to be in a dangerous situation and able to reach out to you but no one else.

In the case of a romance scam, if someone seems too good to be true, they probably are. If they ask you not to talk to your friends or family about them, it’s a definite red flag as well.

Romance scammers also rely on your embarrassment to keep you quiet. Once they scam you, they depend on you not reporting it. The exact opposite needs to occur. If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, report it immediately, so you can get help in mitigating the effects of their treachery.

Identity Theft

Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without permission. They may use your information to open a new credit card, apply for a loan or log in to your online accounts.

It can be harder to stop identity theft because you may not know it’s happening. Someone applying for a credit card with your personal identification can do it behind the scenes and you may not know that it’s happened until the next time you need to apply for a card or a loan. In the case of minors, this can be an even worse situation because they do not typically use credit or check their credit regularly. By the time they need a loan, years of damage may have been done.

How to Handle Identity Theft Attempts

• Use strong passwords and update them regularly.
• Use multi-factor authentication to make it harder for others to access your accounts.
• Set up Alerts so you know if someone else makes an attempt to access your account.
• Use identity monitoring tools, like ID Watchdog, to help detect suspicious activity early.

Red Flags That Signal a Scam

These are just a few of the many ways scammers target individuals. Because scammers come up with new methods everyday, it’s important to remain vigilant and cautious, and to use all the tools available to help you, including:

Account Alerts

Setting up account Alerts allows you to:

• Monitor transactions in real time
• Receive notifications for unusual activity
• Act quickly if something seems wrong

You can customize Alerts to fit your needs and can have them sent to you in whichever way makes the most sense to you - a phone call, a text message or an email.

ID Watchdog

ID Watchdog is a powerful identity monitoring service designed to help protect your personal information.

Benefits include:

• Credit monitoring and alerts
• Identity theft recovery support
• Dark web monitoring
• Dedicated resolution specialists
• Monitoring of minors

If your information is compromised, you have access to supportive professionals who have helped others with these issues and who can get you on the road to financial recovery faster.

Suspect a Scam? Act Quickly.

Anyone can be tricked by scammers. What matters is how quickly you respond and take action to mitigate harm. If you think you have been in contact with a scammer or have been tricked by a scammer,

• Stop communication immediately
• Do not send money or provide additional information
• Contact your financial institution right away
• Change your passwords
• Monitor your accounts closely

The sooner you act, the better your chances of minimizing damage. At Andrews Federal Credit Union, we are here to help. If you’re concerned you’ve been impacted by a scammer, talk to us.

There’s no judgement - we just want to help you resolve the situation and regain your peace of mind. Contact us if you have questions, need support, or just want a second opinion about whether something might be a scam. That conversation could make all the difference.