Fraud Doesn’t Take a Day Off: 3 Labor Day Scams to Watch For

Between travel plans and preparing to head back to school, there’s a lot of excitement this time of year. While Labor Day weekend is a time for fun, scammers are working overtime to steal critical information.

1. Sales That Seem Too Good to Be True

The saying, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” certainly applies to the sales and deals you might see around the holidays. Fraudsters will take advantage of the retail sales happening throughout the weekend by sending emails and texts that offer incredible deals. These “phishing” attacks will try to steal personal information, such as your credit card number. Be wary of emails that include generic greetings, and check URLs before clicking.

2. Fake Social Media Posts

While it’s good practice to be suspicious of misleading social media posts year-round, it’s especially important this time of year. Scam artists may offer prizes or discounted vacation rentals to catch your attention and direct you to a website containing malware. Or they may encourage you to comment and unknowingly share compromising information, such as the answers to common security questions like “What was your first pet’s name?” or “What city were you born in?” Try not to get caught up in the excitement of a contest and think twice before commenting or sharing a post.

3. Unexpected Gift Card Requests

A common scam occurring is the request for large amounts of gift cards. These may appear as a text from your boss or grandchild, but it is more than likely a scam artist impersonating them. These attempts often try to make you believe that a loved one is experiencing an emergency, creating a sense of urgency and fear. It is important to verify the authenticity of the request, whether that’s by calling them directly or asking for a previously decided password. You should never buy gift cards to use as payment for a purchase.

We hope that your weekend is full of nothing but enjoying the lake or sitting by a bonfire, but if you think you’ve experienced fraud on your WESTconsin debit or credit card, please reach out immediately to the Service Center at (800) 924-0022. You can also temporarily deactivate your debit card or credit card with Card Management through WESTconsin Online and our Mobile App to prevent anyone from using your card.