In an age of convenience, scams continue to evolve
This week marked National Consumer Protection Week, an initiative launched by the Federal Trade Commission 24 years ago to bring together community organizations to protect consumers. Partnerships are the foundation of our community’s strength and resilience, and El Paso Electric and the Better Business Bureau Paso Del Norte are working together to spotlight the importance of scam awareness.
In an age where convenience is determined by technology, and connection is virtually everywhere, the tools that make this possible — cell phones, social media, emails and the internet — often the very ones that make us vulnerable and subject to scams.
Remember when scams were largely limited to the occasional nameless phone call at home, with an automated message and simply hanging up was enough? As scams evolved, so did our ability to avoid them — caller ID, ‘do-not-call’ lists, and call-blocking. Nevertheless, scams continue to become more sophisticated, aggressive and daring in the ways they take advantage of consumers. Scammers now "spoof" numbers to look like they are coming from a legitimate source like EPE; they are trying to get your personal information as well as your money; and they take advantage of every opportunity to con consumers — whether it be a puppy scam or new tools like cryptocurrency.
We ask that you guard yourself with these fundamental consumer protection tips:
When someone you have not met asks you to send them money, especially by wire transfer, prepaid debit card or gift card, don’t do it.
Never click on links or attachments in unsolicited emails or texts. That’s how crooks put malware on your devices.
Don’t trust the legitimacy of something by its looks. Emails and websites are easy to fake with copied logos and graphics.
Don’t trust your Caller ID. It can be faked to read any way a crook wants it to read.
Buy online only from legitimate sources with a website address that has the “s” in “https.” Look for the lock icon in the address bar as well.
Look up any company you’re unfamiliar with at BBB.org.
Treat your personal identification information like gold. Don’t give it away to anyone who contacts you out of the blue. Your banking, Social Security, and insurance numbers should be closely guarded.
Anyone pressuring you to act quickly could be a scammer who doesn’t want you to have time to seriously consider the “offer.”
Get details in writing and read them thoroughly.
Don’t overshare on social media. Con artists can collect your information from such sources and use it to make you think they know you.
Keep your travel plans to yourself and only share them after the fact.
Shred junk mail, old documents, bills, and medical paperwork.
Monitor your accounts and check out any unknown transactions, even for tiny amounts (crooks start with small amounts to see if you pay attention).
Use strong passwords and keep software and virus protections updated constantly.
National Consumer Protection Week reminds us that working together we are stronger. While scam attempts are inevitable and will continue to evolve, it is important to unite across industries for the sake of protecting consumers. EPE and BBB will continue year-round messaging on scam awareness. We ask you to stay vigilant and, if you are the victim of a scam or spot one, please report it to us — you are helping both our law enforcement partners and your community.
For information on how to spot and avoid scams and to report a potential scam, visit: EPE’s www.epelectric.com/reportscams and BBB’s www.bbb.org/scamtracker.
Marybeth Stevens is president and CEO of Better Business Bureau Paso Del Norte and Cheryl Mele is vice president of customer care and corporate communications at El Paso Electric.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: In an age of convenience, scams continue to evolve
