Spoofing and Phishing is when a fraudster pretends to be someone that you know and trust, typically a store most people frequent or your financial institution. They usually send you a message of urgency, like a transaction was done on your account or your account needs to be verified, to get you to click on links and provide your personal information.

While there are plenty of types of Check Fraud like counterfeit checks and scammers sending checks in the mail for you to cash or deposit, check “washing,” or altering checks, is becoming more popular. This involves a fraudster intercepting a legitimate check and changing the payee name and/or the amount of the check. This is why using a gel-ink or permanent pen is recommended as it can make it harder for fraudsters to alter the check.

Elder Fraud is a general term used for any fraud that is targeted to people who are over the age of 60. The most common forms of Elder Fraud are:
- Grandparent Scams: Where a scammer poses as a relative in urgent trouble (in jail, in the hospital, etc.) and they need money immediately.
- Romance Scams: Fraudster build a fake online profile to get close to you. Then request money for fake emergencies.
- Government Impersonation: Scammers pose as someone from the IRS or Social Security office threatening an arrest if money is not paid immediately.

Mail Fraud is any scheme to take your money or property away by using the U.S. Postal Service or other mail carriers like FedEx or UPS. Mail fraud can include things like lottery scams where you receive a letter claiming you won a prize but you have to pay taxes or fees, inheritance scams where you get a letter claiming a long-lost relative passed and left you money, and real estate scams where after purchasing a house they pose as your lender or insurance provider with an “urgent” message regarding an issue with your mortgage.

Wire Fraud is a type of fraud where scammers convince you to wire them funds. Often this is done by the scammer pretending to be someone they’re not, like a business, a real estate office, or a family member. The scammer will try to convince you that you need to send payment for an important or emergency purpose and will send you instructions on how to wire the funds. Once the funds are sent, you lose the money.

Skimming is a type of fraud where scammers install a device on ATMs, gas pumps, or point-of-sale terminals to capture card data and PINs.

Romance Scams are when a scammer creates a fake profile or online identity and they use it to gain your affection and trust. It is not always a dating situation and can include just being friends. Often times, they have multiple excuses for why they can not video chat with you. After gaining your trust, they tend to tell you that they’re in a bad situation and need some help financially.

Consumer Product Fraud is a type of fraud where fraudsters sell counterfeit goods or use fake sites to steal money from you. Often times they utilize a “too good to be true” tactic where they sell “high-end” products at extremely low prices.

Holiday Scams take place around the holiday season and include counterfeit popular items sold for a lower price, charity scams where they pose as a charity to get donations, and package delivery scams where you get a text or email saying there was an issue delivering a package that doesn’t exist.