April Fools’ Day is typically for light jokes and pranks. However, the Better Business Bureau warns people to watch out for scams that could hurt their pockets this holiday.
Scammers use April Fools’ Day to target unsuspecting individuals. They typically try to gain access to critical information, such as bank accounts and Social Security numbers. According to the Better Business Bureau’s Communications Director Jessica Hamlin, leaning into one’s intuition is the first step of defense.
“Trust your gut. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is,” shared Hamlin, as reported by WCMH
.Scammers will bank on people ignoring their suspicions and not being careful enough before falling into the trap. Oftentimes, they will connect with their potential victims by calling or emailing, impersonating businesses to conduct their scheme. Hamlin says that this is especially prevalent on April Fools. According to Hamlin, keeping one’s guard up prevents scams, even on a prankster’s favorite day.
“I personally have seen a lot of fun April Fools
pranks coming from a lot of the brands that I follow and enjoy,” Hamlin said. “It’s very easy to impersonate that account, and basically, it means information has been hacked, and now your information is compromised.”Another way to keep one’s funds protected? Utilizing credit cards for big purchases. Cardholders can trace transactions, and companies usually return the money for proven fraud activity. This additional step will ensure that scammers don’t get the last laugh.
Furthermore, vetting companies before offering any payments or sensitive information is another tried and true method to avoid scammers. The Better Business Bureau provides
in-depth reviews of companies by real-life customers. Doing a background check before filling out a monetary one will ensure companies are valid, professional, and liable if anything goes awry.“So, it’s a good idea to go to a resource like BBB.org to look at those reviews where every single review has been vetted and confirmed to come from a real, true person that has interacted with that company,” explained Hamlin.
It’s cool to join in on the joke–but the stealing of one’s personal information is no laughing matter. Keeping important documents and access to bank accounts protected requires common sense with extra safety measures in place.
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