How to Spot a Scam Before It Happens

Scammers often try to make their messages sound believable, official, or urgent so you let your guard down. Even so, scams usually include warning signs. Knowing what to look for can help you pause, verify the message, and avoid sharing personal or financial information.

Watch for Urgent or Threatening Language

Scammers often use urgent language to pressure you into acting quickly. They may claim that your account has been locked, that you owe money, or that a service will be canceled unless you respond right away. Legitimate organizations generally will not ask you to share personal information through an unexpected text, email, phone call, or message.

If a message includes a link, take a few extra seconds to open a browser and visit the organization’s official website yourself instead of clicking. Scammers do not want you to double-check details, so pressure and urgency are often signs that something is wrong.

If a message feels suspicious, ignore it and contact the organization directly using a trusted phone number or website. Reporting potential scams helps protect both you and the organization being impersonated.

Common Scam Phrases

“Act immediately or your account will be suspended.”

“Move your money to a secure account.”

“Deposit cash at a Bitcoin ATM to protect your money.”

“You have won a lottery or prize” for a contest you did not enter.

“Would you kindly...”

Check the Communication Channel

Scammers may contact you by text, email, phone call, social media message, or other channels. Pay attention to whether the message arrives in a way you normally hear from that organization. For example, if your financial institution usually contacts you by email and you suddenly receive an unexpected text message asking you to take action, treat it with caution. Timing can also be a clue. Messages that arrive after business hours, on weekends, or at unusual times may deserve extra scrutiny.

If you encounter a message that seems too good to be true, tries to scare you into making a quick decision, or simply doesn’t feel right, remember to:

• Pause

  If the message is urging you to act quickly or is unsolicited, take a moment to stop and think. Scammers rely on creating a sense of urgency to pressure you into acting without thinking.

• Verify

  Verify the authenticity of the message and the sender by contacting the person or organization through trusted channels before clicking any links, opening attachments, or responding.

• Protect

  If you ever suspect that your account has been compromised:

  Call Ancorum Credit Union at 800-750-0959 for immediate assistance.

  Contact all of the three major Credit Bureaus (Experian, Equifax or Trans Union), to place a fraud alert on your credit file.

  File your complaint with the FTC. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations.