Fraud and Scams

Teaching Children About Online Fraud

Online fraud is a growing problem that affects people of all ages, but children are particularly vulnerable. They may not have the same level of knowledge or experience as adults, and they may be more trusting of strangers online.

IRS Rebate Phishing Scam

The start of the year also means the start of tax season. While most of us aren't happy when we owe money, it's even worse when we're scammed out of money due to fraud. As consumers become more aware of the tactics used by scammers, the methods they will use have begun to shift. 

Zelle Scam Targeting Your Online Banking Credentials

Fraudsters love to target online banking credentials and credit card information. These calls, emails, or text messages will appear to come from First Northern Credit Union, but may be a spoofed identity.  

Looking for love online? Be aware of romance scams.

Using fake online dating profiles with photos of other people, scammers say they are from the U.S. but are temporarily traveling or working overseas.

Be aware of computer support scams

Someone calls and says they’re a computer technician. They might say they’re from a well-known company like Microsoft or Apple, or maybe your internet service provider.

They're probably scammers. 

New Scam: Zelle Yourself

Zelle Yourself has fraudsters conning members into transferring funds via Zelle to themselves using the members’ own mobile phone number under the guise that it will replace funds stolen from their account; however, the fraudsters receive the transfers.

Think your checks are safe in the mail? Think again.

Mail theft and armed robberies against U.S. Postal Service carriers have increased substantially throughout the country. The criminal's focus is to gain access to the master keys of the blue USPS mailboxes – ultimately in search for checks that can be altered, counterfeited, or sold online.

Facebook Marketplace Scammers Looking For Your Cell Number

The Federal Trade Commission is warning of a verification scam targeting people who sell items on Facebook Marketplace. The FTC calls it the Google Voice scam and say it can lead to someone using your phone number to conceal their identity and rip off other people.

Job and Online Hiring Scam Awareness

Job hiring scams can be a major problem for job seekers, as they can waste your time and money and even put your personal information at risk. If you're in the market for a job, knowing about the potential red flags could be helpful for your future.

2023 COLA Social Security Benefit Increase and Scams

Those receiving Social Security Benefits are already targets of current scams, but at 8.7% this is the highest increase COLA Increase in almost 40 years. Recipients of this benefit now have an even larger target on their back from potential scams. Scammers use the trends and hot topics to give themselves what they view as a better chance of success. The COLA increase is a hot topic at the start of the year and that puts it on the top of scammer's to-do list.