It's October, it's getting cooler and the leaves are starting to turn. With that comes spooky season and scares galore. Scarier than any ghost or zombie are the goblin-fraudsters that lurk in the shadows. To help you protect yourself from these cyber creeps, we've compiled a few simple tips that work better than garlic to ward off scammers and help you prevent fraud this Halloween.
- Avoid oversharing on social media. Don't give out personal information.
- Beware of tuition scams. If you're contacted about being behind on your tuition, always contact the college directly to verify.
- Don't access financial or other sensitive accounts using public WiFi – even on campus – where scammers may be lurking to snag your info.
- Watch out for “spoofing" scams, where scammers pose as reputable companies and try to convince you to share personal information or send them money.
- Received a check from an unknown person? Don't deposit it! If it's fraudulent, you'll be required to pay it back.
- Do not accept scholarships or job offers that require an upfront payment.
- Buying books? Trying to lock in a great apartment? Make sure you're dealing with secure, reputable retail sites before you give your credit card info.
For additional fraud tips and trick-or-treats, visit WPCU.coop/StopFraud or visit our
Wright State University Student Resource Center.