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Social Security Scam Alert

On March 7, 2024, Social Security held their “National Slam the Scam Day.”  It’s clear that if Social Security feels the need to have a day dedicated to raising awareness around scams, scamming is alive and well.  Just today, as I write this, I received an email from what appeared to be Norton, the antivirus company.  It was a receipt for $297 worth of Norton services.  I’ve used Norton before, but not currently, that I remember.  I called the number on the invoice and immediately realized this was not Norton.  Hanging up, I looked closer at the email and realized it originated from a scammer’s phony address.

As part of their awareness campaign, Social Security provided their keys to avoiding scams:

  • Remain calm. Talk to someone you trust.
  • Hang up or ignore the message.  Do Not click on links or attachments.
  • Protect your money. Criminals will insist that you pay with a hard-to-trace method, such as a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, money transfer, or by mailing cash.
  • Protect your personal information. Be skeptical of a contact you didn’t initiate.
  • Spread the word.  Share your knowledge of scams with others and alert friends and family.

This advice is basic, but basic is key to avoiding scams. In golf, you want to keep it in the fairway and two-putt every green. Do that, and you are in good shape. When dealing with scams, the primary keys are to be suspicious, hang up the phone or delete the email, and initiate contact with the organization in question yourself. If there is a problem, any organization will contact you using regular channels, typically the mail!

If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, please let us know. Raymond James follows a protocol to protect your Raymond James accounts, and you can take steps to protect your information and identity further.

Any opinions are those of Landon Vick and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James. The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete; it is not a statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and it does not constitute a recommendation. Raymond James and its advisors do not offer tax or legal advice. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional. Be sure to contact a qualified professional regarding your particular situation before making any investment or withdrawal decisions.

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