Money & Credit

Extreme weather and natural disasters can occur with little warning. This year’s floods and wildfires are proof of that. Are you ready to leave your home at a moment’s notice? You can reduce your anxiety about these scary events by making sure you are prepared if and when they happen. September is National Preparedness Month and a good time to get your family, pets, and property ready. You can, for example:

“I know about the secret you are keeping from your wife and everyone else. You can ignore this letter, or pay me a $8600 confidentiality fee in Bitcoin”.

It’s enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine, but these chilling words are part of a new scam targeting men.

Natural disasters and weather emergencies are in the news. Whether it’s the devastating wildfires along the West Coast, the relentless rains and flooding along the East Coast, or tornado strikes in the Midwest, it’s heartbreaking to see people lose their homes and businesses. But it’s despicable when scammers exploit such tragedies to appeal to your sense of generosity.

If you’re looking for a way to help, the FTC urges you to be cautious of potential charity scams.

Did your favorite celebrity reach out to you on social media?

Before you get too excited, are you sure it’s that person? Really sure? We’ve heard reports that scammers, who will try just about anything to separate you from your money, are now posing as celebrities on social media. They’re asking fans to send money for all kinds of supposed reasons – like claiming a prize, donating to a charity, or giving help of some kind. Some celebs do raise money for legitimate causes. But you want to be sure the cause—and the person asking you to support it—are real.