Scammers often use electronic (e-mail, text, website) communication methods to explain how a recipient qualifies for government aid and claim to need information or money from the victim to complete the application process. They may e-mail or text the victim, with a body of text containing a link to follow. Once a victim clicks on what is thought to be a legitimate link to the official federal website, the website will request personally identifiable information (PII) such as name, social security number, date of birth, current and previous addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, mother’s maiden name, or social media handles to complete the process. This PII can be used to conduct additional fraudulent activity at the victim’s expense.
Websites may solicit financial information such as bank account and routing numbers, credit or debit card numbers, digital wallet addresses, or other peer to peer money service transfer account information to process an application fee or complete the application process.
Phone scammers may call victims claiming to be representatives of a bank or the Department of Education and ask for the victim’s PII and financial information to begin the application process for loan repayment.
Tips to Protect Yourself
- Remember: The U.S. government will not charge processing fees, in any type of currency – traditional or cryptocurrencies.
- Do not open links or download images or files from suspicious e-mail addresses.
- Always consult official U.S….
