Benefits scams occur when you're asked to deposit a friend's benefits payment to your account and then cash it for them.
The problem is, the sender figures out that the payment was sent to an account in a different name, recognizes that it's a mistake or fraud, and withdraws the payment. Now you're out the money and your "friend" has disappeared.
To stop the scam, learn to spot the scam.
Ask yourself...
- Is this request typical?
- Does your "friend" sound like themselves?
- Fraudsters could have hacked their social media account.
- Fraudsters could spoof your friend's number or claim they lost their phone.
- Do they want you to give them the money in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer?
The reality is, there aren't many legitimate reasons why someone's going to ask you to deposit their check in your account, so keep your guard up.
Equal Housing Opportunity Lender