It’s financial literacy month: protect yourself from scammers

April kicks off Financial Literacy Month, which is often about managing your money. But this month, the Federal Trade Commission is talking about protecting what you have, and what you’re building, from scammers.

Scammers are good at what they do. They target people of all backgrounds, ages, and income levels with sophisticated ways to steal your money and personal information.

Follow along with us this month as we cover how to spot and avoid scammers: how scammers ask you to pay them, the signs of a job or money-making scam, and how to check your credit.

Here are a few things to know:

• If you’re asked to pay for something with a gift card, that’s a scam. Period. Gift cards are for gifts, not for payments.
• Don’t give your personal or financial information in response to a call, e-mail, or text that you didn’t expect.
• If you’re looking for a job, never pay to get one.
• Resist pressure to act immediately. Scammers want you to pay or give them your personal information before you have time to think.
• Stop and talk with someone you trust. Before you do anything else, tell a friend, a family member, or a neighbor what happened.

For more information on spotting and avoiding scams, visit ftc.gov/scams. And don’t forgot to share what you learn with others during #FinancialLiteracyMonth.

If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Want information on the latest frauds and scams we’re seeing? Sign up for consumer alerts.