Protecting Your Identity

To help you stay safe this holiday season, we’ve identified several online shopping scams that are prevalent this year, tips to help you avoid becoming a victim, and red flags to pay attention to before you hit the order button. Learn more

Searching for the best value in a health insurance plan can seem daunting and confusing. Unfortunately, scammers are privy to this and can take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. As with many scams, the goal of the healthcare scammer is to find tricky ways to obtain your bank account number, credit card number, personal health insurance information, and/or social security number. Read on to learn about five common types of healthcare scams, tips to protect yourself from them, and actions to take if you have been scammed. Learn more

Unfortunately, about 5% of the elderly population (or about 2 to 3 million people) get scammed each year, according to the American Journal of Public Health. And this figure is only based on cases that get reported. Learn more

The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines adoption fraud as “any form of intentional misrepresentation or illegal act in the area of adoption. Any participant involved in an adoption — birth parents, prospective adoptive parents, and adoption service providers.” Unfortunately, scammers have found ways to take advantage of this highly personal, emotional experience. Learn more

Unfortunately, lottery/ sweepstake scams are one of the most common consumer scams in the United States. Each year, thousands of people nationwide fall prey to these type of scammers, who con their victims under the pretense of false cash or prize winnings. Learn more

Like their larger counterparts, small businesses are no strangers to fraud. In fact, smaller organizations may be even more susceptible to scams than large corporations. A 2018 study found that almost two-thirds of small businesses were aware of the potential of being scammed. Unfortunately, smaller businesses often suffer an impactful financial loss when they become victimized. Learn more

You’ve found the perfect home, won the bid, completed the inspection, secured your financing, and now it’s time to close. This time is full of excitement and anticipation as you near the end of your homebuying journey. Learn more

Cryptocurrency has become an increasingly attractive investment within the past decade. Many consumers are attracted to this type of investment because of the cutting-edge innovation, anonymity, security, and decentralization. Learn more

Identity theft is a rising concern in the U.S. In fact, one 2020 survey of more than 8,500 adult American consumers found that nearly half of participants suffered from financial identity theft. Unfortunately, our increasing reliance on digital platforms and systems means that reports of identity theft are likely only going to grow. Learn more