Take these 3 steps to prevent financial scams and fraud

Financial scams and fraudulent activity are on the rise, and with millions of households across the country receiving coronavirus stimulus checks, security watchdogs expect a spike in scams aiming to profit from these payments. Some members of the Rowan community have also recently been impacted by these scams, so it is important to be aware of steps you can take to protect your data and your university.

You may receive phone calls, emails or text messages from people claiming they can speed up the delivery of your coronavirus stimulus payment or asking you to verify personal information to secure your payment. These messages are bogus. If you have questions about your stimulus check, visit the IRS website for information. 

In addition to these stimulus scams, the Rowan community should be on the look out for other schemes targeting your bank accounts. Employees should keep an eye out for offers for phony retirement consultations, fraudulent tax filings and unemployment fraud. Students should be aware of another common scam, known as the grandparent scam, which may target older relatives and claim you need money immediately to help with an emergency, such as paying bail to get out of a foreign jail.

How can you protect yourself and your loved ones? Take these three steps:

1. Learn how to spot a scam. The more you know about scams, the easier it is to avoid them. Use our tips for spotting phishing scams and malicious websites to get started. You can also check our list of known scams if you receive an email you think is suspicious. 
   
   
2. Protect your personal devices. From enabling automatic updates to setting up a personal firewall, there are a number of security controls you can use to protect your personal devices from data loss or theft. 
   
   
3. Complete our security checklist. Are you using strong authentication tools on your accounts, including your retirement, banking and other financial accounts? Have you backed up your personal data recently? Use our security checklist to help protect yourself. 

Cybercriminals are constantly adapting their tactics to make their schemes more convincing. By taking the steps above, you can help guard your personal information against scams and fraud.  

Also, as always, if you receive a suspicious email, phone call or text message, or need help navigating a security issue, please contact us for help. You can call the Technology Support Center at 856-256-4400 or email support@rowan.edu for assistance.