Scams

1. Step 1

   If a stranger asks for a code, hang up.

   Nobody real — your bank, the post office, the IRS, even a “grandchild” — needs a one-time code texted to your phone. If anyone asks, that is the scam, not a routine check.

2. Step 2

   Never tap links in a text about money.

   If a text says your account is locked, a package is waiting, or you owe a fee, do not tap the link. Open the company’s app yourself, or call the number printed on the back of your card.

3. Step 3

   Real companies do not rush you.

   When a caller says “right now” or “or your account will be closed” — that is the warning, not a routine step. Slow down. Hanging up takes five seconds; a mistake costs five hundred dollars.

4. Step 4

   Nobody collects bills in gift cards.

   The IRS, the post office, your utility, the police — none of them collect payment as Target, Walmart, or Apple gift cards. Anyone who tells you to buy gift cards to fix a problem is lying to you.

5. Step 5

   Hang up, then call the real number.

   After a strange call, hang up. Look up the number yourself — the back of your bank card, your phone’s contact list, the family phone tree. Call back only that number, never the one the caller gave you.

6. Step 6

   When in doubt, ask us.

   Nobody is in trouble if you pause. A five-minute call to a family member or to us is free and safe. We would rather you hang up and check than hurry and lose money.