Summer is a season to relax, take some time off, and enjoy the weather. However, there are plenty of scammers out there trying to take advantage of the season. Here are three scams to watch out for.
Vacation Rentals
Not everyone who travels stays in a hotel for vacation. Many find summer rentals which allow for a more home-like feel. If you intend to look for a house or condo to rent on vacation, do your research. Scammers will find legitimate listings and pass them off as their own. All they’re looking for is the deposit you would normally pay from an actual rental business. Once they have the payment, they’re gone, and so is your money.
Utility Scams
When it gets really hot outside, scammers know you want your cooling system to work. They will call people, posing as the utility company, and threaten to turn off their electricity. The scammer will ask for a fee to keep the power on, hoping you’ve been fooled. Before you give this con-artist any money, contact your company and make sure the call was real, because it probably wasn’t.
Event Tickets
There are so many events taking place during summer. Sporting events, concerts, and festivals fill up the calendar and bring in millions of people. Scammers will buy tickets to these events and pretend to sell them. They use sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, selling one pair of tickets to multiple people. The tickets might not even exist, and victims don’t realize it until they try to redeem them at the gate. When you want to buy tickets, make sure you use a legitimate site, nothing second hand.
Make sure to utilize your Benefits Plus® checking account with SeaComm as a way to protect yourself from fraudulent activity! Once you’ve upgraded to a Benefits Plus® checking, you will gain access to a variety of identity theft protection services including fraud alerts, identity theft alerts, lost document recovery services, and more. Stop by your local SeaComm branch to upgrade your checking account, today.
For complete information, terms, conditions and exclusions please visit www.benefits-plus.org or call 866-329-7587.