Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs Shares Tips to Help Tennesseans Protect Personal Info, Finances<\/p>\n
Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance – TDCINashville, TN – With the hustle and bustle of the holidays well underway, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance\u2019s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is warning consumers to be wary of holiday-themed scams during this season of giving.<\/p>\n
Scams<\/p>\n
Because scammers use the holidays to prey upon the good nature of others, Tennesseans are urged to guard their personal information carefully and stay informed of the latest schemes and swindles.<\/p>\n
TDCI reminds consumers that \u201cif it sounds too good to be true, it probably is\u201d remains one of the best guidelines when it comes to avoiding scams.
\nTDCI offers the following additional precautions to help Tennesseans fight back against scam artists:<\/p>\n
Be suspicious of anyone requiring you to send money with prepaid money cards.
\nBe suspicious of apps, online advertisements, or websites offering prices that seem suspiciously lower than retail prices at trusted retailers.
\nConsider paying with a credit card that offers fraud protection when possible.
\nOnly shop on secure websites. Look for https in the address (the extra \u201cs\u201d is for \u201csecure\u201d) and for a lock symbol.<\/p>\n
When it comes to charitable giving, remember:<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t assume that charity recommendations on social media platforms or blogs have already been vetted. Research the charity yourself.
\nFind out what percentage of your donation will go to the charity and whether you will be charged any fees for making a donation through a fundraising platform website.
\nCheck to see if the charity is registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State.
\nBe cautious when looking to give to charities that pop up soon after a tragedy or natural disaster.
\nWebsites posing as charities can sometimes look identical to the real organization. These fraudulent websites will often ask for personal or financial information over an unsecure connection or may download harmful malware into your computer. Look for a padlock symbol or \u201chttps\u201d before the web address indicating that it is secure.
\nAvoid being pressured to make an immediate donation. Don\u2019t hesitate to ask questions to get more information.
\nIf you didn\u2019t initiate contact, avoid giving personal or financial information over the phone.
\nNever write out a check or give cash to an individual solicitor. Write out checks to the name of the organization or use a credit card.<\/p>\n
[320right]Many holiday scams involve phishing.<\/p>\n
Phishing is the act of tricking consumers into revealing information or performing actions they wouldn\u2019t normally do online using phony email or social media posts.<\/p>\n
Cyberscammers tailor their emails and social messages with holiday themes in the hopes of tricking recipients into revealing personal information.
\nThe Division of Consumer Affairs encourages consumers to be familiar with these common holiday scams:<\/p>\n
UPS phishing scams: A phony notice from UPS says you have a package and need to fill out an attached form to get it delivered. The form may ask for personal or financial details that will go straight into the hands of the cyberscammer.
\nBanking phishing scams: Cybercriminals craft emails to look like notices sent by actual banks in hopes of scamming busy and distracted consumers into providing their online banking usernames and passwords.
\nSMS phishing scams: Scammers send fake messages via a text alert to a phone, notifying an unsuspecting consumer that his bank account has been compromised. The cybercriminals then direct the consumer to call a phone number to get it re-activated\u2014and collects the user\u2019s personal information including Social Security number, address, and account details.<\/p>\n
E-card scams: While sending electronic cards can be convenient and fun, beware if you must share additional information to open the card, or if the sender\u2019s name is not apparent. If you have been contacted by or fallen victim to a charity scam, report it to the Division of Charitable Solicitations, Fantasy Sports and Gaming at the Secretary of State\u2019s Office; the Federal Trade Commission; your local police department or law enforcement agency; and your bank or credit card company if applicable.<\/p>\n If you are aware of any false, misleading or deceptive fundraising activity, please notify the Division of Charitable Solicitations, Fantasy Sports and Gaming immediately at (615) 741-2555 and ask to speak with an investigator. In addition to speaking with an investigator, please submit a complaint form.<\/p>\n For more scam-fighting resources, visit the TDCI Division of Consumer Affairs website. You can also check what scams are being reported in your area, the state, and across the country by accessing the Better Business Bureau\u2019s Scam Tracker.<\/p>\n TDCI protects the interests of consumers while providing fair, efficient oversight and a level field of competition for a broad array of industries and professionals doing business in Tennessee. Our divisions include the State Fire Marshal\u2019s Office, Insurance, Securities, Consumer Affairs, Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, Regulatory Boards, Tennessee Emergency Communications Board, Tennessee Corrections Institute, and TennCare Oversight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs Shares Tips to Help Tennesseans Protect Personal Info, Finances Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance – TDCINashville, TN – With the hustle and bustle of the holidays well underway, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance\u2019s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is warning consumers to be wary of holiday-themed scams […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[1717,284,1064,8969,3095,5128,2288],"class_list":["post-13273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community","tag-federal-trade-commission","tag-nashville-tn","tag-phishing","tag-phishing-scam","tag-scams","tag-tennessee-consumer-affairs","tag-tennessee-department-of-commerce-and-insurance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13273"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13274,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13273\/revisions\/13274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nHoliday job scams: Retailers and delivery services need extra help at the holidays, but beware of solicitations that require you to share personal information online or pay for a job lead. Apply in person or go to retailers\u2019 main websites to find out who is hiring.
\nLetters from Santa scams: Several trusted companies offer charming and personalized letters from Santa, but scammers mimic them to get personal information from unsuspecting parents. Check with www.bbb.org<\/a> to find out which ones are legitimate.
\nFamily emergency scams: Be cautious if you get a call or email from a family member or friend claiming to be in an accident, arrested, or hospitalized while traveling in another country. Never send money unless you confirm with another family member that it\u2019s true.<\/p>\nAbout the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance<\/h3>\n