First Financial Northwest Bank

Avoid Online Shopping Scams

Learn How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported that Americans lost $337 million to non-payment and non-delivery scams. In these scams, buyers pay for products or services online, but never receive them. Conversely, sellers ship goods or provide services, but never receive payment.

Every day, people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts and calls from scammers pretending to be their bank. We here at First Financial Northwest Bank want to make sure our customers are aware of the way scammers could contact you by providing some best practices to deny anyone trying to subject you, and your accounts, to phishing and scamming activities. 

 

Recognize the Warning Signs

 

Do You Trust the Companies You Buy From?

Bware of the Shopping Scam!

How you Pay Does Matter!

What to Do If You Believe You Have Been Scammed?

  1. Contact your bank, financial institutions and creditors
    • Speak with the fraud department and explain that someone has stolen your identity.
    • Request to close or freeze any accounts that may have been tampered with or fraudulently established.
    • Make sure to change your online login credentials, passwords and PINs.
  2. Secure your email and other communication accounts
    • Many people reuse passwords and your email or cell phone account may be compromised as well.
    • Immediately change your accounts’ passwords and implement multi-factor authentication — a setting that prevents cybercriminals from accessing your accounts, even if they know your password — if you haven’t already done so.
  3. Check your credit reports and place a fraud alert on them
    • Get a free copy of your credit report from annualcreditreport.com or call 877.322.8228.
    • Review your credit report to make sure unauthorized accounts have not been opened in your name.
    • Report any fraudulent accounts to the appropriate financial institutions.
    • Place a fraud alert on your credit by contacting one of the three credit bureaus. That company must tell the other two.
      – Experian: 888.397.3742 or experian.com
      – TransUnion: 800.680.7289 or transunion.com
      – Equifax: 888.766.0008 or equifax.com
  4. Contact ChexSystems at 888.478.6536 to place a security alert on the compromised checking and savings accounts when a deposit account has been impacted. Or, make your report to ChexSystems online.

  5. Contact the Federal Trade Commission to report an ID theft incident: visit identitytheft.gov or call 877.438.4338.

  6. File a report with your local law enforcement.
    • Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.