If it seems too good, it probably is. Many of us have heard this adage, and it applies here. Many investment scams are financial or real estate investing. If you are getting promised high returns, quickly and with low risk it might be an investment scam.

Find more info on Investment scams here and how to protect yourself against them here: https://ag.ny.gov/resources/individuals/investing-finance/investment-fraud

These scams start out with a fraudster pretending to be someone you trust. After they convince you of a bad situation your close friend is in, they will attempt to get you to send them money. When a sensational or bad event is happening in a friend or family members life verify the messages through a 2nd method of communication, preferably a known phone number or video call.

Find out more about Imposter scams and how to protect yourself here: https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-avoid-imposter-scams

"But I bought it on Walmart[.]com!" This story repeats amongst many consumers turning to the connivence and great deals online shopping brings. The problem is that many websites (Walmart, Amazon, Ebay, Mercari, and Newegg) now support 3rd party sellers (some who do very little to verify themselves). These 3rd party sellers will have ridiculously cheap products. Many times you won't get the product, or you are part of a larger "Triangulation" fraud scheme. If you see a price less than 50% of the original price of a product it is very likely a scam. You can also look at who the order is fulfilled by. If it is not Walmart, Amazon, or some other major retailer, it could be a fraudster.

Find out more about online shopping fraud and how to spot it here: https://www.fdic.gov/resources/consumers/consumer-news/2022-12.html

Many of these scams start with a phishing email or bogus ad on a website stating you are the winner of a prize or lottery you didn't enter. I like winning as much as the next person, but you can usually tell its a scam if the next step in receiving your prize is that you have to pay money or give your account details to get money deposited. These warning signs mean you are part of a scam and you should stop the interaction with that fraudster.

Find out more here: https://oag.dc.gov/consumer-protection/consumer-alert-sweepstakes-and-lottery-scams

Applying for a job? Was the job posted by the company directly? Maybe a recruiter? Or worse... a scammer. Fake job opportunities, especially work from home or remote jobs are more prevalent than ever. If the job is for a well known company, apply directly on their website, if they are hiding the employer behind the job be weary. Fake job posting are mostly looking for your personal information to resell or some kind of "finders fee" or application fee to apply.

Learn more about job scams here: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/job-scams