Your financial life is complicated enough without worrying about scammers trying to take advantage of you. But here’s the thing—scammers are always looking for opportunities, especially during times of uncertainty or crisis. The good news? You can protect yourself by knowing what to watch for and taking a few smart precautions. Let’s walk through some common scams and practical ways to keep your personal information (and your money) safe.

PPE and “Miracle Cure” Scams

When people are worried about their health and safety, scammers jump at the chance to exploit those concerns. You might see offers for personal protective equipment or supposed coronavirus treatments that seem legitimate on the surface—but they’re not.

Here’s how these scams typically work:

Fake PPE offers: Someone claims to be selling masks, sanitizer, or equipment to make PPE. They’ll only communicate via phone or email, demand upfront payment, and conveniently refuse to provide any way for you to verify they’re a real distributor. If they won’t prove they’re legitimate, that’s your red flag.

Work-from-home manufacturing schemes: These are especially sneaky. You’re promised easy money for making PPE from home—sounds great, right? But then they demand payment upfront for “equipment” or “training.” The “employer” vanishes once they have your money.

Bogus treatments: You might see ads claiming to cure or prevent illness, but the product has no scientific backing. Even if you receive something, it’s usually just an unproven product with zero real benefit.

How to Protect Yourself

• Never pay for anything without verifying the seller through multiple channels. Check their official website, call their main number (not one from the email), and look for customer reviews.
• Remember: there are no secret cures or miracle treatments. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
• Trust your gut. Legitimate businesses don’t pressure you for immediate payment or hide their identity.

Text Messages, Phone Calls, and Mobile Banking Scams

This is where scammers get really creative. They’ll send you a text claiming you’ve been exposed to illness, or call pretending to be a government official. The goal? Get you to click a link or share personal information like your Social Security Number.

When you click those links or download what they’re offering, malicious software gets installed on your phone. Sometimes it’s so sophisticated that it creates fake versions of real apps—like your banking app—to steal your login credentials and account information. Since you’re probably doing more mobile banking these days, this type of scam is particularly dangerous.

How to Protect Yourself

• Never share your Social Security Number over the phone, especially to someone who called you out of the blue. Real government agencies won’t ask for this information unsolicited.
• Don’t click links in text messages from unknown senders. If you’re unsure, go directly to the official website or call the organization directly.
• Use multi-factor authentication on all your important accounts—especially banking and email. This adds an extra security layer that makes it much harder for hackers to break in, even if they have your password.
• Set up text message filters on your phone to block spam and suspicious messages before they even reach you.
• Be skeptical of unsolicited contacts. Real banks and government agencies won’t reach out asking you to verify information or click links.

The Bottom Line

Scammers are always evolving their tactics, but your best defense is staying informed and trusting your instincts. If something feels off—whether it’s a too-good-to-be-true offer, pressure to pay immediately, or a request for personal information—pause and verify before you act. Protect your personal information like you’re protecting your most important asset, because you are.

Your financial security matters, and you’ve got this. Stay alert, stay smart, and keep your money moving in the right direction—toward your goals, not someone else’s.