How can I avoid falling victim to a scam?

TIPS FOR AVOIDING SCAMS

Keep your personal information private: Protect your passwords, guard your credit card and bank account numbers, shred sensitive paperwork, and don’t leave your mail where it might tempt a potential identity thief.

Be wary of unusual payment requests: Scammers will often ask you to use an unusual payment method, including preloaded debit cards, gift cards, iTunes cards or virtual currency such as Bitcoin.

Spot Imposters: Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, a family member, a government official, or a company you do business with. Don’t send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request — whether it comes as a text, a phone call, or an email.

Don’t rely only on your caller ID: Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.

Visit donotcall.gov and register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry.

Sign up for free scam alerts from the FTC at ftc.gov/scams. Get the latest tips and advice about scams sent right to your inbox.

For further help in Kansas: you can contact the Kansas Attorney General’s office by going to their website: http://ag.ks.gov or calling (785) 296-2215 or 1-888-428-8436.

Remember, if it looks or sounds too good to be true, it probably is.