Webinar: Safeguarding Kids' Identity and Online Privacy Today’s youth generation is tech-savvy and connected online. However, parents still play an important role in helping them avoid online hazards such as identity theft, privacy, and cyber-bullying. This workshop covers important issues including online privacy tips, managing computer settings, smartphone apps, and positive online behavior. Session 1: [...]
SCAM ALERT! June 22, 2023 | Our members have alerted us to two scams happening right now. One is from a group called PTSO saying they are working "hand-in-hand" with Green Country on disaster recovery efforts. The other is for mortgage refinance or forbearance through a group called Optimus. Neither group is legitimate. Do not [...]
How Can I Recover Money From a Scammer? Every year, more and more people fall prey to scams. Data from the Federal Trade Commission shows that in 2021, consumers reported losing more than $5.8 billion to fraud. That’s a 70% increase from 2020. Imposter scams are the most common scams, followed by online shopping scams. What does [...]
Traveling This Summer? Let Us Know Before You Go We’re always watching for possible fraud on your debit card, so please notify us when and where you will be traveling. Also, make sure we have your current cell phone number, so we can contact you if suspicious activity is detected on your account. If we [...]
Are You Sharing Your Security Answers on Social Media? Social media can be a lot of fun, but if you’re not careful, it can be an easy road to identity theft, account takeover, and more. The three texts mentioned below are from actual posts that have come across sites like Facebook, inviting others to share [...]
Be aware of the latest scam activity We’ve recently seen digital money movement fraud on the rise. A scammer can contact you requesting payment through a Wire Transfer or transfer via Zelle – these methods allow money to be sent quickly, and the funds are often hard to trace and recover. You should never wire [...]
Mobile Payments & Banking Tips Cybersecurity Tips to Keep You Safe More and more frequently, consumers are using their mobile devices for online banking, payments, and shopping. We can now check our bank account balances, deposit a check using a mobile device’s camera, pay bills, transfer money between friends, and make purchases directly on our [...]
10 ways to spend less when shopping online Get what you need without overpaying—or being tricked into overbuying. Key takeaways Retail sites have features that entice you to buy more than you need, but savvy shopping can help you stick to a budget. These tips and habits—including staying focused, carefully timing purchases, and factoring in [...]
Common types of scams Scammers are constantly finding new ways to steal your money. You can protect yourself by knowing what to look out for. Here are some of the most common types of frauds and scams. Learn what to watch for and what steps to take to keep yourself, your loved ones, and your [...]
Scam Alert: Disputing Large Purchases Recently, there has been a rise in email fraud where a scammer poses as a major retailer, luring unsuspecting people with claims that an expensive purchase was made by them. The email will give a number to call if the email recipient doesn't recognize or wants to dispute the purchase. [...]
Cyber Monday Shopping Safety Tips If you’re planning to snag some great shopping deals online, you’ll need to be sure you’re shopping smart. Here’s a quick brush up on some old safety tips to help you make secure transactions on your mobile devices. Stick to Secure Websites Nothing take the happy out of the holidays [...]
How to Create a Strong Password — That You Won’t Forget Need to create a secure password that hackers can't guess? Use a passphrase! Make it easy to remember, yet hard to crack. Passwords. We all hate them. And we hate ours especially. We know they’re terrible, but making them stronger seems so hard: use [...]
5 Tips For Keeping Your Children Safe Online The Internet is an incredible tool to expand knowledge and information exchange for adults and children alike. but there are pitfalls This short paper will provide you with tips to help your children safely use the internet, benefitting from the positives and helping to avoid the negatives. [...]
Children and credit reports: why parents should start checking Turning 16 years old marks many milestones for a child: learning to drive, preparing for college, and yes, his or her first credit check. While it may seem counterintuitive (after all, most teens don’t have a credit history), the reality is that identity theft can happen [...]
Seven Steps to Protecting Your Child From Identity Theft It’s a shocking experience thousands of parents have endured: finding out someone else has been using their child’s identity. It’s heartbreaking to think of a young person trying to start out in life with an unjustly tarnished credit history. To guard against a future of frustration [...]
FREE WEBINAR: Advanced Child Tax Credit We invite you to join a free webinar about the upcoming Advanced Child Tax Credit (CTC) monthly payments from the IRS that will start in July. This webinar will be held on Monday, July 19 from 3:00 - 4:00 Central. This webinar will provide you with information on CTC [...]
Automatic Payments for the Child Tax Credit Start on July 15th - Here's What You Need To Know So what is the child tax credit and how is it changing? Traditionally, the child tax credit provides parents a credit on their taxes for each child under 17. If your tax credit exceeds the amount of [...]
Swipe Up: Social Media Spending Social Media Day is Jun 30th - let's take a look at one of the biggest ways we spend money. “Swipe up to shop my look!” “Use my code for a great discount!” Click… the items are in my cart… purchase complete… and I received my confirmation email. Real talk: [...]
If You Get This Message From the IRS, Don't Open It New Tax Credit has scammers clamoring to take advantage of you. Scam callers claiming to be from the IRS are a dime a dozen. While tax season has come to an end, you might be gearing up to receive the IRS' child tax credit [...]
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Commemorated June 15th every year, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is an opportunity to take action to protect older people by raising awareness about elder abuse, why it occurs, and what we can do to stop it. What Is Elder Abuse? Elder abuse refers to intentional or negligent acts by [...]
We have had reports of members receiving calls using Green Country's name and/or number on the caller ID but turning out to be a scam call for the IRS. A reminder: Green Country will NOT call you and ask you to verify your personal financial information. Unfortunately it's fairly easy for someone to use a [...]
Mobile Device Security Everywhere you look you see people of all ages utilizing smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other devices to thrive in an online, connected world. Utilizing these devices for work and for pleasure can be extremely convenient and entertaining, but these benefits can come at a very high price if leveraged by a cyber-criminal [...]
A Guide to Successful Cyber Hygiene Admittedly, when you hear the term cyber hygiene for the first time you probably have one of two reactions: 1) You have a sudden urge to disinfect your keyboard and mouse, or 2) personal hygiene habits come to mind. In truth, it's closer to the latter. Cyber hygiene generally [...]
If you’ve seen someone wave their phone at a gas pump or tap their smartwatch on the credit card terminal to buy a latte, you’ve seen a mobile wallet in action. You may have even used PayPal to buy something online or Zelle to send money to a friend without realizing you were using a [...]
Classic warning signs of possible fraud and scams There are several signs that indicate you might be dealing with a scammer. They include contact from someone: Calling or emailing you, claiming to be from the government and asking you to pay money. Asking you to pay money or taxes upfront to receive a prize or [...]
Fraud & Scam Resources Losing money or property to scams and fraud can be devastating. But there are many resources to help you prevent, recognize, and report scams and fraud. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a U.S. government agency that makes sure banks, lenders, and other financial companies treat you fairly. [...]
Fraud and Scams Glossary Want to learn more? Visit the CFPB online. Elder financial exploitation Elder financial exploitation is the illegal or improper use of an older adult’s funds, property, or assets. It is the most common form of elder abuse, but only a small fraction of incidents are reported.The perpetrators can be strangers who [...]
Tips to Prevent Identity Theft There are many ways to protect your private information from fraud. Though some tasks take a bit of effort, be aware that cleaning up the mess identity thieves leave behind is far more difficult and time-consuming. Credit reports Periodically check your credit report from each of the three major credit [...]
Consumer Rights & Responsibilities Since thieves prey on those who have not taken preventative measures, it is up to you to be careful with all of your identification and financial information. For maximum security, make safety a family affair. Limit and monitor children’s access to the Internet and online transactions, have a designated person collect [...]
Identity Theft Resources If you are a victim of identity theft, understand that minimizing damage will take patience and a systematic approach. However, the sooner and more aggressively you deal with the problem, the faster you will see results. To start, commit yourself to becoming and remaining organized. Since you will be communicating with a [...]
As the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out continues, it’s important to be on the lookout for scams. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN) recently issued a new warning about vaccine scams: Beware of scams offering early access to vaccines for a fee. Keep an eye out for phishing scams where scammers email or text you with phony [...]
Online Shopping Safety In today's electronic world, it is extremely easy to shop and purchase goods or services on your computer, without ever leaving your home. Certainly, there are many benefits — cyber storefronts are always open and bargains are abundant. It is simple to comparison shop with the click of your mouse, and sellers [...]
Cyber Monday: 7 tips for safer online shopping Are you one of the many shoppers planning to click for holiday gifts this year? Don’t let the numerous Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and distractions cloud your judgment. It’s always important to pay attention to signs that your online shopping transactions are secure. The holiday [...]
Tips for safe Cyber Monday shopping (or really any day) Are you one of the many shoppers planning to click for holiday gifts this year? Don’t let the numerous Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and distractions cloud your judgment. It’s always important to pay attention to signs that your online shopping transactions are secure. [...]
There are so many COVID-19 scams circulating right now. Everything from stimulus money fraud to imposter contact tracers and everything in between. Stay aware and keep your personal information safe. Here are some tips from the FTC. KEEP CALM & AVOID CORONAVIRUS SCAMS Learn how to tell the difference between a real contact tracer and a scammer. [...]
5 tips for social media security and privacy Social media accounts are powerful tools in the wrong hands. We’ve recently seen hackers take over the Twitter accounts of media outlets and large corporations, using them for anything from basic spam to drawing attention to global issues. Your own accounts might seem too small to tempt [...]
In the modern world, almost everyone holds a credit card. Reportedly, 7 in 10 American’s have at least one credit card and there are 364 million open credit card accounts in the U.S. as of November 2018. The reach and popularity of credit cards have made it a major target of fraudsters out there. Many [...]
