If a caller—or someone online—instructs you to lie, that’s a big red flag!

What They Might Say

The nature of these scams can vary. The fraudster might suggest a long-distance romance, investment opportunity, debt consolidation, law enforcement investigation or threat against your assets. Scammers will:

• Work to gain your trust and then isolate you by stressing the need for secrecy
• Create a false sense of urgency (e.g., “You must take action now,” “Your account is compromised,” “I really need your help.”)

Here are the types of things you might hear a fraudster say:

• “You’re the only one I can trust—promise you won’t talk to anyone."
• “Your spouse/kids won’t understand—this will just stress them out.”
• “Friends will be jealous and try to talk you out of it.”
• “People your age get judged for this—best to keep it to yourself.”
• “If you ask others, they’ll give you bad advice.”
• “Your bank will block this for no reason—you need to work around them.”
• “If you report this, you could be investigated/your account could be frozen.”
• “Your account is at risk—follow only my instructions.”

How to Protect Yourself

The best way to avoid being drawn into these types of scams is to avoid engaging with fraudsters.

• Do not answer phone calls if you do not recognize the caller’s number.
• If you answer a call that appears to be from your financial institution and the person tells you that money in your account must be moved for your own safety, tell them you will call back and hang up. Then call your credit union or bank and explain to a customer service representative that you received a suspicious call.
• Do not respond to random text messages.
• Be wary of making new friends via social media, particularly Telegram, WhatsApp and TikTok. As soon as a new “friend” starts discussing financial matters, stop responding and do not contact them again.
• Do not reply to unsolicited emails of any kind, whether business or personal.

If you suspect you’re being scammed, call a family member, trusted friend, your financial institution or your local police department and tell them about what this person is asking you to do.