It’s ‘National Slam The Scam Day’

The Social Security Administration has declared March 9th, 2023 as "National Slam The Scam Day" in America. 

According to an article from the Office of the Inspector General on SSA.gov, in 2022 alone, victims of "government imposter scams" lost lots of cash; over $509 million dollars!

It is really easy to get scammed by these imposters. I have had good friends and family members scammed online, by phone, by mail, by text...pretty much any way they can contact you, those scammers will pounce and see if you will fall for their story.

Those scam artists count on all of us being uninformed and unprepared, so share this information with your family members and friends so we can all "Slam The Scam." The more we know, the better off we are when we get one of those letters in the mail, online emails, texts on our smartphones, or calls on the phone.

How do they do it? Lots of times they use letterhead or logos that look almost exactly like an important government agency like the IRS or the Social Security Administration. Anytime you get a letter in the mail or an online email that appears to be from a government agency, make sure you review that material a few times for clues, or contact those agencies yourself to see if they are sending letters or emails like the one you received.

Most of the time these scammers present you with a huge financial problem or a chance to win a valuable prize. They will most likely tell you that you need to act immediately. They do this because they know if they give you a chance to check them out to see if they are legitimate, they have lost their chance to complete their scam.

Another clue to a scam being perpetrated is when the thief tells you they will solve your problem or send you the prize if you will pay them with a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency or other similar options. If they ask you to transfer money to a "safe account," don't believe them.

For more details on how you can "Slam The Scam" and avoid being duped, CLICK HERE.

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Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.

As if there weren't enough things to worry about. Your credit card information may be stolen by simply using it in local retail stores, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police warn.

Scammers have recently been targeting the Las Vegas area by using EMV (Smart Chip) "skimmers," according to metro police's Twitter.

These "skimmers" are sleek, discrete add-ons to credit card machines that can be easily overlooked. These small devices can collect information from thousands of cards and even steal PIN number information.

The police say when unsuspecting customers insert their cards in a machine, the skimmer will still processes the purchase while simultaneously collecting your card's data. The customer thinks they made an innocent purchase when in reality, scammers have just collected their credit card information.

Due to the discrete nature of "skimmers," these devices can stay in place for a long period of time, which makes this a big problem, police said on Twitter. "Skimmers" are commonly found in ATMs, gas station pumps and "unmonitored" pay stations.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers often don't notice their information was stolen until the bank sends a statement or an overdraft notice.

To avoid being a victim to this scam, here are a few tips to spot these devices so you can protect your financial security.

Although "skimmers" are small, these devices are not impossible to find. Las Vegas Metro Police said on Twitter that compromised credit card machines with "skimmers" often stick out and are noticeably different than other PIN pads.

You can further check to see if there's a "skimming" device inserted in the machine by pulling on the PIN-pad hood. By pulling on the hood, the skimmer may come loose from the credit card terminal, police said.

https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/skimming#:~:text=Tips%20When%20Using%20an%20ATM%20or%20POS%20Terminal&text=Look%20for%20anything%20loose%2C%20crooked,cameras%20from%20recording%20your%20entry.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation says consumers should inspect ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals and other card readers before using them. If the machine appears to be crooked, damaged or scratched then you shouldn't use it.

Las Vegas Metro Police recommends that if you find a "skimming" device, do not tamper with it. Instead, alert a store employee and call "311."

And as always, it's important to contact your financial institution if your credit card information was stolen or comprised. Be vigilant, pay attention to your online banking app and be safe!