What Do You Do with your Scam Awareness?

Identity theft and security experts have warned for years that consumers need to stay on top of the latest news about scams and fraud in order to protect themselves. But there’s no need to keep those details a secret!

A retail employee in Illinois saved the day when she and other workers stopped a senior citizen from becoming the victim of a scam. The customer was trying to buy a high-dollar amount of gift cards to bail her grandson out of jail. According to the story, a far-flung police department had called her to let her know her grandson was in custody and needed $500-worth of gift cards to post his bail. Fortunately, she was prevented from buying the cards and called the local police department instead. Sadly, another customer wasn’t so lucky. She proceeded to buy the gift cards despite the warnings from employees.

Even worse, a Walmart employee in another state tried to be a good Samaritan and prevent a man from purchasing a $2,500 wire transfer to send to a scammer. The employee, who is now being honored by the company’s board of directors for her repeated help stopping other customers from becoming victims, was originally threatened with a lawsuit by the would-be victim since she put up some fuss about processing the wire transfer. Fortunately, once the police were called, the customer learned the truth and thanked the employee for saving him from a crime.

These examples illustrate a very serious issue: scam activity is on the rise and more consumers are sitting up and taking notice. However, as these real scenarios demonstrate, it can be difficult to intervene when you see something taking place, even if you’re certain something isn’t right. You don’t know how your help will be received.

So how do you put your knowledge of scams and fraud to good use and help your fellow consumers while avoiding any negativity? First, just know that no matter how your attempt to help is received, you were trying to do the right thing. Also, you can try this:

1. Spread the social word – Social media can be a powerful force for good, especially if the content you’re sharing is relatable and genuine. It’s tempting to forward every alarming hoax that pops up, but if you craft a sincere warning about scams and fraud, you just might prevent someone else from becoming a victim. Don’t forget to make your post sharable!

2. Host a fraud prevention event – There are a number of organizations that host awareness events throughout the year, but you don’t have to wait for a specific time. You can host your own get-togethers, community action meetings, senior center events and more, then use those as a time to help get the word out about different kinds of fraud.

3. Follow news from the Identity Theft Resource Center online – The ITRC has a Twitter account, Facebook account, weekly newsletter and many other resources that can keep you informed. Sharing their news is as simple as clicking a button. Helping others recognize a potential scam doesn’t have to mean putting yourself out there.

If you see a scam taking place, you can enlist the help of retail employees, store managers, law enforcement officers or anyone else who can stop someone from becoming a victim. No matter how you choose to help, just know that you’re working to make life better for others when you stop a scam in its tracks.

Read next: “Your New Medicare Card Could Lead to a Scam”