UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FRAUD: 3 STEPS TO TAKE

Although layoffs and new applications for unemployment benefits have slowed, fraud attempts have not. COVID-19 continues to provide scammers with a perfect opportunity to file fraudulent unemployment claims, often using someone else’s identity. These schemes have spread throughout the country. In the last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received…

SPOTTING EMPLOYMENT SCAMS

Using the same methods as real employers, employment scammers trick job seekers through job ads online, in newspapers and even on TV and radio. In some cases, they may even contact individuals directly via email, phone, or social media. In these scams, scammers promise you a job, but in reality,…

HOW TO AVOID THE TOP 3 ONLINE SCAMS

The recent Federal Bureau of Investigations Internet Crime Report shows that cybercrime has spiked, leaving hundreds of thousands of victims and costing more than $4 billion. The FBI received a record number of reports last year totaling 791,790, a 69% growth from 2019. Moreover, losses due to internet crime increased by $700…

AS A RESULT OF CORONAVIRUS, MORTGAGE LENDERS TIGHTEN THEIR BORROWING REQUIREMENTS

In addition to disrupting the economy, the Coronavirus has also influenced the housing market. Around 4 million homeowners have already requested mortgage forbearance through the CARES Act forbearance program as of last month. Lenders are responding to the economic uncertainty by tightening credit requirements and making borrowers go through more…

OVER HALF OF ONLINE USERS USE THE SAME PASSWORD FOR MORE THAN ONE ACCOUNT, STUDY READS

As social life moves increasingly online, monitoring your personal information becomes increasingly important. With an average of 27 online accounts, and more than 100 for millennials, only a few passwords are shared across all those accounts. For every online account, passwords should ideally be difficult-to-guess and random as passwords are…

VICTIMS OF A SOCIAL SECURITY SCAM ARE ADVISED TO TRANSFER MONEY TO PREPAID GLOBAL GIFT CARDS TO STEAL FUNDS

Scammers are using scare tactics and prepaid cards to steal victims’ money in a new Social Security scam. Fraudsters are calling potential victims claiming they are from the Social Security Administration and reporting there has been suspicious activity involving the victim’s Social Security number (SSN), according to the Identity Theft…

Debt Types: What Are They?

Debt is familiar to Americans. A record $14.96 trillion in debt is encircling 80% of them, according to the Federal Reserve.   Before we get into the details, debt is simply the obligation to pay money to anyone. If you have debt, you also likely have a repayment agreement. What…