Sometimes what’s old is new again — stores are carrying blue jean overalls and college students are wearing crop tops.
Similarly, in 2022, many of the latest Identity theft scams are simply a twist on scams that have been around for a while. Still, it’s important to be aware of what’s going on so that you can avoid becoming a victim of these latest attempts to steal your identity.
What ID theft scams should you be on the lookout for? Let’s take a look.
Name Change Identity Theft Scams
This scam is a modern update to the “phone call from a government agency” hoax. Now that it’s becoming more common for people in the LGBTQ+ community to want to change their names to more closely match their chosen identity, fraudsters are taking advantage.
The fraud goes like this: A scammer will call someone who has recently changed their name and claim that due to the name change, there was an error with their tax return. All they need to fix it is your social security number.
And voila, if you give it to them, you’ve fallen victim to identity theft.
No one from the government will call you and request personal information over the phone. Just remember that, and no matter what nonsense reason the scammers come up with, you won’t fall for it.
Stimulus Check Scam
“So, all I need is your bank account information…”
When the government promised stimulus money to Americans, scammers took advantage of the expectation of a valid payment to steal peoples’ identities.
This identity theft scam is a phone call from someone posing as a member of the IRS. They claim they need your bank account information in order to send your check to you. If you hand over your bank account information, the fraudsters can use that to drain your bank account and steal your stimulus check for themselves.
The IRS has a clear process for getting information for stimulus payments, and it does not involve calling citizens. If you ever have any doubt, hang up and call the official phone number or visit the IRS website.
Stealing Authentication Codes
A variety of websites, especially financial ones, have started texting customers an authentication code before they can do things like changing a password. Scammers will take advantage of any possible situation to get you to give them this texted code.
Here’s a real situation I heard about recently: A woman had lost her dog and was posting online to try to find him. A scammer contacted her on Messenger and said “I have your dog, but I need you to give me the code I just texted you to ensure it’s really yours.”
The scammer did not have the dog, they simply went to reset the victim’s password to an important account and wanted the authentication code to complete the change. In this case, the victim did not fall for the fraud, but it shows that the scammers are completely shameless.
Protect Yourself From Identity Theft Fraud
The unfortunate truth is that scammers will take advantage of those who are vulnerable in order to steal from them. Knowing the common scams will help you stay safe.
You can also get a SecurePreferred identity theft plan that will give you peace of mind with affordable protection options. Take a look at our plans today!
