Author Archives: virginiasmp

Thinking about applying for a job with the United States Postal Service (USPS)? Make sure you’re dealing with the real thing. Scammers advertise jobs that don’t actually exist to try to steal your money and personal information — and one way they do that is by pretending to be USPS. So how do you know ifContinue reading “Looking for a postal job? Also look out for job scams”

Hearing a lot about federal student loan forgiveness in the news? You’re not alone — scammers are, too. You might get a call from someone saying they’re affiliated with Federal Student Aid (FSA) or the Department of Education. (They’re not.) They’ll say they’re following up on your eligibility for a new loan forgiveness program, andContinue reading “Scammers follow the news about student loan forgiveness”

These tax scams may start with a phone call and take two primary forms. In the first version, the IRS “agent” says you owe back taxes and pressures you into paying with a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. If you don’t comply, the scammer threatens you with arrest and fines. (Read More)

Last year, Pittsburgh resident Molly Sinclair, 54, suddenly received ominous-sounding messages from two local banks where she’s a customer. One warned her that her account had been locked because of unusual activity, and instructed her to click a link in order to verify the transaction. The other simply said that her account was locked, andContinue reading “Bank Impersonation Is the Most Common Text Scam: What You Need to Know”

It was a common scam that ended with an uncommon outcome, tragically in an Ohio driveway.  William J. Brock fatally shot an Uber driver because he wrongly assumed she was part of a scheme to extract $12,000 in supposed bond money for a relative, authorities said this week. Lo-Letha Hall was a victim of the same con,Continue reading “What we know about the shooting of an Uber driver in Ohio and the scam surrounding it”

Impatient for your tax refund? It usually takes about 21 days to receive your refund after filing, but tax preparers are increasingly offering ways to get your funds immediately. Here are the pros and cons. Types of tax refund advances There are many different kinds of tax refund advances and promotional agreements. To help you makeContinue reading “BBB Tips on tax refund advances: What you should know “

You’ve surely received one (if not dozens) of these texts, noting that your U.S. Postal Service, UPS or FedEx delivery has been kept on hold because of an issue with your address, insufficient postage, or nobody was home to receive it. Just visit [a link will usually be included here] to provide more information, payContinue reading “Package Delivery Problem? Maybe Not. Americans Are Swamped With Scam Texts “

Health and wellness websites and apps collect a lot of personal and sensitive health information about their users. And they might make promises about how they’ll use and protect that data. If companies don’t honor those promises, it can lead to a serious breach of trust — and a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission.Continue reading “When companies share your personal information without your permission”

The bureau says scammers are sending texts telling drivers to pay up on toll road balances, and it contains a link saying there will be a late fee if not paid. The link then leads to a website impersonating transportation agencies, such as TXTtag. (Learn More)