During the current partial federal government shutdown, it’s important to be alert and on the lookout for scams that try to take advantage of the shutdown. During the shutdown the Federal Trade Commission customer complaint system is not operating which may lead to increased fraudulent activity. Scammers Use Emails, Links, Attachments, Internet Ads and Phone Calls According to the Pennsylvania State Police, frauds related to the government shutdown are carried out through a variety of ways.
One example is you receive an email solicitation that claims to come from a government office which implies your federal benefits such as Medicare direct deposits will stop unless you provide personal banking information for the purposes of verification.
Scammers will also send emails with links or attachments so do not open links or attachments in any email that looks suspicious. In addition, internet ads and direct phone calls are also popular ways scammers try to get you to reveal personal information. Remember, government agencies will never ask for your personal information over the phone or by email.
More Examples of Current Known Scam Attempts
Calling and offering pre-approved loans or grants in exchange for your banking information, claiming the scammer needs it so they know where to send the money. Many times scammers have the ability to spool their phone number to make the call appear to be a local number when in fact they may be calling from anywhere.Side job offers. Furloughed workers should be aware of the large number of fake postings for side job offers, which require an application feeFake emails that look like they came from banks so people will open them. Many of these emails may not be specifically related to the shutdown and the emails often contain links to websites that will download malware or have attachments containing malware. JBT will never send you an email asking you for personal information or to verify personal banking information.
Recommendations to Avoid Being a Victim of a Scam
One of the best ways to avoid being the victim of a scam, whether over the phone or by email or the internet, is to be alert and to use common sense. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.
In addition, the Pennsylvania State Police have additional recommendations, including: Never provide anyone with personal information such as your social security number, date of birth, credit card number, bank account or address.If you receive an email from a financial institution or agency that looks suspicious, do not open links or attachments. For example, if the email uses poor grammar and spelling, does not use your name or other personal identifying information, or goes to an email address not linked to the company or agency it pretends to be sent from, it is probably not legitimate. Delete the email. Only sign on to your account using the web address you know belongs to your bank or that agency.Government agencies will rarely call you unless you have been in touch with them first. If someone calls you claiming to be from a government agency and you were not expecting a call, hang up and call the agency back either at their customer service number (available on the agency’s website, which ends in .gov), or at another number for the agency, such as the number for a local office of that agency. Government agencies will never ask for your personal information over the phone or through email.If you have questions about your government benefits or the government shutdown, visit or call your elected representative for the most up-to-date-information.
If you become the victim of a scam, immediately notify your financial institution and local law enforcement agency!