An imposter scam is when a scammer impersonates a person or organization that you trust to convince you to send them money. Here are some examples of imposter scams and what a scammer may say via phone call, text, or email to get information out of you.

- They are from a government organization, and you owe money to the IRS or another government agency.

- That you have won a prize and have to pay fees in order to claim it.

- A family/friend is in danger, and you need to send money to help.

There are a few ways a fraudster may get a hold of your card information. Some examples of credit/debit card fraud are:

- A scammer steals your physical card and uses it for transactions, or they get a hold of your credit card information from the dark web and use it to make transactions.

- Inserts a skimmer in an ATM to get your card information. Before swiping or inserting your card, make sure to look out for tampering with a machine, glue, or tape on any part of the ATM, or a wiggly card slot and loose fitting attachment.

- A scammer tricks you through a phishing scheme.

Sometimes, you may not even know you've been a victim of credit card fraud until you pull your credit report. That’s why it’s important to check your account and credit score frequently in online and mobile banking.

Phishing scams are when scammers send an email or text message impersonating a person or business that you trust. Vishing scams are similar to phishing scams, but scammers will impersonate a business that you trust by telephone. They can do this by spoofing the business or organization's phone number. To get your personal and private information, the scammer may ask you to "verify a transaction" or say there has been "activity" on your account.

Jovia will never send a text message with a link.

If you receive a call, text, or email asking you to provide or confirm personal information, such as account information, PIN, online credentials, or verification codes, do not respond. Instead, contact the business or person directly.

Check scams are on the rise because scammers have done a good job of making fake checks look real. Scammers will encourage a victim to deposit a fake check into their account. The scammer will then ask the victim to send or wire the funds back for a portion or the whole amount of the check before the bank clears it. If the check is not cleared and is determined to be counterfeit, you may be held responsible by the financial institution.

Another form of a check scam is check washing; learn more about how check washing scams happen below.

Identity theft occurs when a criminal gets your information and impersonates you. They will use your name and information to open new accounts, take out loans, withdraw money, and more. Unfortunately, many people aren’t aware they’ve been a victim of identity theft until it’s too late. That’s why it’s essential to know the signs of identity theft and to keep an eye on your accounts and credit reports. Types of identity theft include:

- Account takeover fraud is when someone gains access to your account(s) and uses it to make fraudulent transactions, transfer money, or get into other accounts.

- Social Security number identity theft is when a fraudster gets ahold of your social security number and uses it to open fraudulent accounts.

- Mail identity theft is when a scammer steals your mail in order to get your personal information, like medical records, financial account information, and tax information. If you feel you have been a victim of mail theft or tampering, you can report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

- Drivers license identity theft occurs when your driver's license number ends up in the wrong hands. They could steal this and use it to avoid citations which could end up on your driving record.