11 Ways to Protect Yourself From Fraud Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.
11 Ways to Protect Yourself From Fraud in 2021
Take these steps to keep safe from scams identity theft and spam calls
GOCMEN/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images Among the reasons to be glad 2020 is nearing an end: It was a banner year for scammers. Along with the usual assortment of thefts, ranged from fake product offers and bogus testing ploys to rip-offs involving stimulus checks. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Scam-Proof Your Mail and Email As always, your best defense against fraud is you. While planning your New Year's resolutions, put these to-dos on your list. Some you can do right now, while others are behaviors to adopt. Together they'll help protect you and those you love in the coming year. Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > Scam-Proof Your Passwords and Credit Improve your password protection
Many online retailers, financial companies and service providers offer “dual-factor authentication.” (After you successfully enter your name and password, they send you a unique code via text or email that you have to enter before you can get to your account.) Turn it on as part of your account settings. It takes an extra step, but it's a veritable fortress of extra security. Protect your mail
Informed Delivery is a free service from the U.S. Postal Service in which the agency sends, via email, images of letter-sized mail expected to be delivered to you soon. This is a great way to monitor that nothing is stolen by ID thieves from your mailbox. Visit to sign up. Check your credit report
Because of the , all three major credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — are offering free weekly online reports through April 2021. You will be able to determine if someone is using credit in your name and to fix mistakes. Go to . Filter your phone calls
To help curtail the flood of , enter all your trusted contacts into your smartphone. This way, when the phone rings, your caller ID will let you know if it's one of them. Do not answer if you don't know the callers; if it's important, they will leave a message. Even better: Research call-blocking apps on your smartphone and talk to your phone company about what it can do for you. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. have become one of the fastest-growing requested forms of payment from criminals, and they are virtually untraceable. Take the pledge: “I will never, ever, ever buy a gift card for someone I don't know.” Gift cards should only be purchased for family and friends. Copy all the contents of your wallet today
This is a simple way to protect yourself from and credit card fraud. If you have copies of the front and back of all ID and credit cards stored in a safe place, you'll have the account numbers and customer service lines instantly available. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. . After a few online conversations, when your defenses are down, they ask for nude pics. Once they have them, the extortion starts: Pay me now or I'll post them. Many victims pay and think it will go away. It almost never does. Stop breathe ask
Often, scammers rush their victims and push lots of emotional hot buttons to get you to stop thinking rationally. AARP's anti-fraud experts agree: Never let strangers force you into fast decisions. Pause, calm yourself, and think clearly and critically. Chances are you'll quickly see the situation for what it really is. Amy Nofziger and Mark Fetterhoff are with AARP's Fraud Watch Network helpline team. Have questions related to scams? Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline toll-free at 877-908-3360. For the latest fraud news and advice, go to . More on money AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS