*With the holidays upon us, so are the scams. Scammers pretend to be someone you can trust, like a government official, a family member, a company you do business with, or a charity. They will try to pressure you into providing personal information, money, or gift cards to resolve an urgent request such as a lawsuit, account block, or an arrest. Confirm requests are legitimate before responding.

Current Scam:

Be alert of a recent text scam that advises you an account is restricted and requires that you call to remove the restriction. Upon calling the number provided, scammers make attempts to obtain the following information:

• Date of Birth
• Social Security Number
• Mother’s Maiden Name
• Card Account Number
• Expiration Date
• 3 Digit Security Code

Your banking institution would not ask for this information when you contact them in response to a text alert. If you receive a suspicious communication,  the recommendation is that you call the number on the back of your card to verify that it is legitimate.

If you think you may be a victim of a scam or that your personal information was compromised, you can place a fraud alert on your credit bureau by contacting one of the three major credit reporting agencies:
(Experian: 1-888-397-3742; TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800; Equifax: 1-800-685-1111).

You can also obtain tips on how to prevent scams, information on current scams, and sign up for scam alerts at the FTC site: ftc.gov/scams.  The FTC recommends, this year when you pass the turkey, pass on your knowledge about scams and help prevent a scam.

*Post information courtesy of Citibank.