What are the most common frauds or scams?

At PODERcard Debit, the safety of your personal information and hard-earned income is our priority. To better help you protect your assets, we believe that it’s important to educate you on how to be a smarter consumer and not fall victim to one of the millions of frauds and scams that occur every year.

Read below to learn to identify the common signs of fraudulent or illegal activity faster and stop criminals before they can attack.

Most common types of scams and frauds

Identity theft

Your personal information is valuable and should be kept confidential. Identity theft occurs when a person steals your identifiable, personal information about you (social security number, birth date, credit card number, etc.) to commit fraud. As a consumer, it’s important to pay close attention to your bank or credit card statements and run credit reports for any suspicious activity or charges that you did not authorize. Be sure to properly dispose of any mail or documents with your personal information about you or your family.

Phishing email or text scams

Phishing is a type of fraud where scammers try to steal your personal information (passwords, credit card info, etc.) by sending you an email or text message impersonating a reputable company or person. Many times, these messages look like they’re coming from your bank, online stores, or even social media platforms. Usually, phishing messages include an attachment or a link and could potentially install a virus in your computer or cell phone to obtain your information. A few ways you can prevent a phishing attack include using internet security software on all your electronic devices (computers, cellphones, or tablets) and adding multi-factor authentication to your social networks or banking websites to help prevent phishing attacks.

Sending money to a stranger

Imposter scams occur when a person claiming to be a trusted individual (such as a sheriff, government employee, charitable organization, or even family member) contacts you and tries to convince you to send them money. They might call you saying that you owe money to the IRS or that they are a long-lost relative that needs help. Remember, caller ID can be faked. Always ask for their name and call the actual person or government organization they say they represent to verify their story before giving them any money or personal information.

Prize or lottery fraud

A lottery or prize scam is a type of imposter scam in which a scammer calls, emails, or texts you to tell you that you’ve won a prize through the lottery or sweepstakes. Their goal is to steal your money and/or personal information by saying that you need to pay fees, taxes, or any other charges upfront and will attempt to take payment immediately. Never give out your personal information or send money to people you don’t know.

COVID-19 scams

Scammers love to take advantage of crises and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. In these types of scams, individuals will try to steal your personal information or funds by sending false checks or posing as reputable organizations or individuals (such as banks, funeral homes, or even sick relatives). Never deposit “free” checks that are sent to you in the mail. As with other imposter scams, always validate that people are who they claim before sending any money. Lastly, avoid posting your vaccination cards on the Internet or on social media. Vaccination cards contain important and very personal information that can be used by scammers.

Foreclosure relief or “rescue” scams

Foreclosure relief and mortgage loan modification scams are schemes to take your money (or even your house) by making a false promise of saving you from foreclosure. These scammers may ask for money upfront, request a wire payment, or even the deed to your house; they claim to guarantee that you can get your mortgage terms changed or even provide you with a loan. Remember, it’s illegal for a company to charge you immediately for promises on saving your house from foreclosure. If you’re having trouble making mortgage payments, a HUD-approved housing counselor can walk you through your options for free.

Immigration scam

The immigration process in the United States can be a tricky process. While there are many reputable organizations that work to help new immigrants, there are many scammers out there that can try to trick you into giving them money for false services or even stealing your personal information. One of the most common are people claiming to be notarios or public notaries and will charge you for their immigration services. Do not go to these types of individuals for help as they are not legally permitted to provide any type of legal immigration services in the United States. Also, beware of imposter scams of individuals posing as U.S. government officials and requesting immediate payment or personal information. This activity is illegal, so don’t give out any personal information or make payments over the phone. Find more information on protecting yourself from immigration scams here.

IRS scam 

IRS scams are another type of imposter scam in which someone pretends to be a legal representative or employee of the IRS, a debt collector, or a law enforcement agency and says you owe them money. Scammers contact their victims through phone, traditional mail, email, or text messages and trick them into sending personal information or money by threatening them with government fines or punishment. Don’t respond to debt requests over the phone. The federal government, the IRS, law enforcement agencies, debt collectors, or utility companies will NEVER ask you for your card number over the phone to make a payment. Also, don’t send your social security number, W-2 information, or any other personal documents to anyone without first contacting the IRS directly. Click here to contact your local IRS office and report any tax fraud activity.

Survey scams 

Survey scams are a type of phishing scam that tries to steal your personal information and passwords. If you are part of the SABEResPODER Rewards Center, here are a few ways you can confirm that it is from our community and NOT a scammer. 

1. SEP Rewards Center text messages will always be sent from one of the following numbers (55280, 72237, 52749).
2. Emails will be sent from [e-mail].

Advanced fee scams

Advanced fee scams work in the same way as Prize / Lottery scams. The scammer will contact you claiming you won something of value ( prize, gift, investment opportunity, etc.) and request immediate payment of a fee in order to claim your prize. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

Wire or money transfer fraud

Scammers love playing on their victims’ emotions and will use this as an opportunity to steal from them. One common example is known as the “grandparent scam”, in which a scammer poses as the victim’s grandchild or friend of a grandchild, saying that they are in some kind of trouble, and request that money be wired or transferred to them immediately. Another example is a scammer posing as a relative that has just been hospitalized or has suffered a major accident. They play on urgency and will want their victim to send some type of payment immediately. Never send money without verifying a person’s identity. Call that person or another family member to confirm before taking action, no matter how desperate the scammer may sound.

Welcome Tech dba SABEResPODER is not a bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. The PODERcard Visa Debit Card is issued by Thread Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. PODERcard account opening is subject to identity verification by Thread Bank.

Your deposits qualify for up to a maximum of $3,000,000* in FDIC insurance coverage when placed at program banks in the Thread Bank deposit sweep program. Your deposits at each program bank become eligible for FDIC insurance up to $250,000, inclusive of any other deposits you may already hold at the bank in the same ownership capacity. You can access the terms and conditions of the sweep program at https://go.thread.bank/sweepdisclosure and a list of program banks at https://go.thread.bank/programbanks. Please contact [e-mail] with questions regarding the sweep program.

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