MoneyWise Tips to Deepen Your Financial Knowledge

Knowledge is power. We're here to help you protect yourself and your hard-earned money.

If you plan to use your credit or debit card to make purchases, consider these tips to protect yourself and your hard-earned money:

1. Be extra careful when providing your payment information. Don’t provide your card number over the phone or in an email. Make sure sellers are legitimate before placing an order—especially if you find them through social media or unexpected emails.
TIP: Do a quick check to be sure online sellers are legitimate before ordering. Try entering this into your browser: “is (insert seller’s name) a legitimate company” 

2. Remember the old adage…If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is—like scammers posing as legitimate sellers offering hard-to-find items at a great price. 
3. Be cautious of urgent texts, emails and calls asking you to “verify your recent order,” threatening to “freeze your account” or “cancel your order.” Unfortunately, bad actors can look legitimate.

TIP: NEVER click on links in unexpected texts or emails or respond directly. Instead: contact the company using their published customer service number to verify the authenticity.