Lincoln credit union gives advice on how to protect yourself from scams

Scamming reports have been on the rise in the capital city.

They are affecting people of all age groups.

The 21st century is often called the age of technology, and with it, comes the rise of scammers.

Liberty First Credit Union says more people have been victims than you may think.

“Anybody can be a victim, and I think everybody thinks they’re not going to be a victim, they’re not going to be the one who gets fooled,” said Julie Hill, Assistant VP of Operations at Liberty First Credit Union.

Earlier this week, a Lincoln father received a notification saying he owed $3,000 because his 15 year old daughter’s account was overdrawn.

She had been tricked into giving out her bank account information over the internet.

Four fraudulent checks were soon deposited.

By the time her father discovered what happened, the money was gone.

“Once it’s wired out it’s gone, I can’t get it back for them, and the police can’t get it back for them,” said Hill.

Hill says you can put limits on your child’s account.

She recommends monitoring accounts regularly.

Liberty First offers a card valet product for your debit card.

It notifies you on your phone when a transaction is made.

“So then you know immediately, uh oh, something happened that I didn’t authorize, you can also shut your card off and shut your card on,” said Hill.

Hill says a scam she sees often deals with fraudulent checks being sent over the internet, with the scammer then asking for a payment from the victim.

The checks aren’t identified as fraudulent until after the money is long gone.

It’s a good reminder to not trust people on the internet that you don’t know personally.

“People are so trusting, and they meet people online, and they believe they are who they say they are, and a lot of people get caught up in romance scams,” said Hill.

Another piece of advice is to change passwords regularly and to not give access to your personal computer.

Most banks have a phone app you can use to track your bank accounts, and even notify you of activity.

Don’t give out your information or send money to strangers on the internet!