By This blog post is not usually what I write about. It is born out of anger and frustration. Turning negatives into positives is what I strive to do in all aspects of my life. I want to take my experiences and help people. Let’s talk about how I avoid scammers. Yes, I’ve been a victim. Many of you have as well, most likely. The scammers seem to get more frequent and more creative, daily. I’m so tired of dealing with them for myself and people I love.
The tips that follow are simply that. My hope is they help keep you and the people you love safer. Here are my tips in no particular order:
- be careful on dating sites and apps. I’m not/never have been on any dating sites/apps because I don’t want to get caught by a catfish. If an app makes you uncomfortable in any way, delete it and report it to your app store. I also am careful with direct messages on social media. I have them open, for the blog only; but I don’t respond to anything that feels wrong to me. Kirk told me to always trust my instincts. My parents do as well. In my experience: if it feels wrong, it probably is. You can always report accounts to any/all social media platforms. Blocking users is also a useful option. NEVER give anyone you don’t know money.
- Apple Pay is disabled on my phone. I don’t have Venmo or Cash App, either.
- I don’t have my bank’s app on my phone. Checking bank account(s), frequently, is one of the best ways to proactively protect your money. My choice is to always do so on my computer.
- when I’m out I have no problem letting a stranger use my phone. I dial the number for them handing it over afterwards.
- I don’t answer my phone unless the person calling is in my contacts. A spam blocker is a great tool. Hiya has a free version. Find it in any app store.
- anti-virus software is a must. I use Webroot on my desktop and laptop. When browsing the web if a scam popup appears: I either close the window or shut down my computer. Afterwards, I run a virus scan just to make sure and erase my history.
- using a different password for every account I have is key; I usually use a mix of capitalization, letters, numbers, and special characters
- a shredder is a must for junk mail and sensitive documents no longer needed
- Geek squad total protection is wonderful. Find out more about it at Best Buy or https:// http://www.bestbuy.com
- I get tons of junk e-Mail. Y’all probably do too. Companies, you know and trust, sometimes sell your e-Mail address. There is usually a way to opt out of this if you want. You just have to check a box. If there isn’t: my email program has a spam folder. I just click spam at the top of the menu of my e-Mail program and it sends that particular message to spam. I never open e-Mail from companies/people I don’t know or trust.
Clark Howard is super knowledgeable. https://clark.com is extremely useful.
I hope these tips help you keep yourself, your money, and the people you love and care about safe.
