Massachusetts Warned The Most Common Scam in America is Growing

Massachusetts residents who have access to a phone, email, and internet should be aware that America's most common scam isn't calming down soon and in fact, is growing. No matter where you live in the Bay State, whether it's Boston, Springfield, Worcester or anywhere in between we are all a target for scams.

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You may be familiar with receiving text messages or emails that mimic big companies like Amazon or Federal Express, for example. Someone posing to work for those companies is looking to help you out of a jam. When this happens to me, I think to myself, "I didn't contact them for help; they contacted me." This is a big red flag. These types of messages are known as Customer Service Scams.

According to AARP, customer service scams are the most commonly reported type of scam in the United States and are growing. The site reports that in February, Amazon reported a 33 percent increase in customer service impersonation scams on social media since December. The scam consists of criminals posing as a customer service representative who can help you with an issue, when in reality, their mission is to steal your money and personal information. I can't tell you how many times I have received texts or emails from phony companies dressed up to look like Amazon, Federal Express, UPS, USPS, etc., informing me that a package has been lost or there's an issue with my order.

Other phony emails and texts that I have received over time are warnings that there has been fraudulent activity on my account and that I need to call this number or click this link to get the issue resolved. Of course, I rarely fall for this scam. I usually take a minute to think about the message I just read, and realize that I haven't used my credit card at any odd places or sites lately. It never hurts to check your statement to see where you have used your card recently.

One thing you need to remember when protecting yourself from becoming a victim of these customer service scams is to stop and think. A company rarely reaches out to you, so if that happens, that's your first big sign that something doesn't seem right with the message you received. When in doubt, look up the company's actual email or phone number and check with someone in customer service. For more warning signs of scams, ways to protect yourself, where and how to report a scam, and more, go here.