During the COVID-19 crisis, we have seen many friends and neighbors working together to help each other. Unfortunately, we have also seen bad players taking advantage of the crisis to commit fraud and perpetrate scams. Recently, members have alerted us to phony calls or emails attempting to scam them into giving out sensitive information. Fraud and scams are on the rise. Here are a few for which you should be on alert.

Social Security. Some members have reported that they received a phone call from our number impersonating a Social Security officer and claiming our member owed back taxes. This is called Spoofing. If you receive a weird call from O Bee’s number, hang up and us call back from the number you have on file to verify it was really O Bee calling you.

Emails. People are also receiving fake emails from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). To be extra safe, visit the CDC’s website on your own for up-to-date information about the Coronavirus instead of clicking on any links in an email. Accidently clicking a malicious link could download a virus to your computer which could allow a hacker to access your personal information.

Social Media. Boredom has officially set in and filling out surveys on Facebook and Instagram seems like a fun way to pass the time, but not so fast. Scammers are using that information to guess at your passwords and security questions. Think twice before you fill out that survey!

It’s always a good idea to monitor your accounts regularly and remain vigilant. We appreciate members who contact us to report suspicious activity. If you get an uneasy feeling about a call, email or message, trust your gut instinct and hang-up or delete that email or message. Help us spread the word by sharing this blog to Social Media.

Trust that O Bee is working behind the scenes to keep your sensitive information safe. Learn more about how O Bee protects your accounts and information and what you can do to protect yourself.