Skip to main content

First Northern Blog

Fraud and Scams

The Danger of Fraudulent Reviews

As you move through social media the knowledge that scams exist can make using the internet as a resource a difficult task. Often, as a consumer, you might want to see if a business has good reviews. Reviews on social media can be a valuable tool and because of that scammers know to utilize them for their own attempts to defraud people.

Read More
Fraud and Scams

Refund Scams: Overpayments Can Cost You

Overpayment scams have become a common tactic that scammers use. The scammer often poses as a legitimate business or agency, trying to do the right thing by offering you a refund. However, like the purchases being non-existent, these refunds are also non-existent. 

Read More
Fraud and Scams

How to Protect Your Startup from Scams

When looking to start your own business, there are a lot of things that might feel like too much to undertake. The easiest place to gain guidance is the internet and while there are a vast array of legitimate sites providing services, fake websites are also easy to find.

Read More
Fraud and Scams

No, Beyonce doesn't need Gas Money

Our comfort in using social media has made it easy to stay connected to family and friends. It has also provided celebrities a way to share their projects and details about their day to day lives easier as well. Fans can follow their favorites and feel more connected to someone who normally would be out of reach. Not all of those accounts are real, though.

Read More
Fraud and Scams

Financial Tip Scams

Scammers have been posing as experts helping people navigate the financial world. They not only drain victims financially but also undermine trust in financial systems. Recognizing warning signs and taking preventive measures are key to protecting oneself from these pervasive threats.

Read More
Fraud and Scams

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. 

Read More
Fraud and Scams

Be aware of computer support scams

When dealing with personal technology, it's important to know how to recognize when someone reaching out to provide support is not really going to help. Scammers may claim to be from a well-known company, but their tactics will cost you more than your time.

Read More
Fraud and Scams

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.

Read More
Fraud and Scams

Don't Fall for the Zelle Texting Scam

In September of 2022, one woman lost thousands of dollars as a result of believing text messages she had received were from Zelle®. These sort of scams are all too common these days. Receiving a text message from a credit card you don't own or an account you've never opened might be confusing, but the goal is to get you to react. Scammers count on your initial reaction to the message to create their opportunity. If you react without doing your research, you will open yourself up to being defrauded of your money.

Read More
|< < 1 2 > >| Pages: 2 of 2