Investor Alerts and Outreach

Scammers use different tricks to tell a story triggering you to respond to and connect with them. Many try to create fear so that you may overlook questions you should ask.

Be on the lookout for these red flags:

• Saying you have a security problem that they need to fix.
• Saying they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts.
• Claiming there’s a problem with your account or payment information.
• Saying you must confirm some personal information.
• Including a fake invoice.
• Saying you’re eligible to register for a government refund. 
• Saying an additional payment is necessary for an additional service.

Spoofing is when a fraudster creates a hoax website or email to look legitimate and attempts to direct consumers to enter account or personal information.

Check the address bar once you land on a website. To detect a spoof website, first check the browser address bar. The address bar provides vital information about where you are and how secure you are.

Here is what you should check for:

• Check the website address for its “domain name.” 
  • For established companies, the domain names should be clear and spelled correctly. For example, amazon.com or schwab.com are related to the well-known businesses, but “amazons.com” or “schwabt.com” are not. 
  • If the address is long, look for the domain name at the end of the address but before the first backslash. For example, a fake Amazon address might look like this: amazon.com.help.security-manager.com/file.type. This seems like an Amazon address but it is not. Look closely near the end and you can see the domain name is actually “security-manager.com”.
• Don’t confuse a hyperlink with the actual website address. 
  • Scammers love using deceptive hyperlinks that look like a web address. But a hyperlink is just a name that can be manipulated. If you click on a hyperlink, be sure to check the domain name of the website itself in the address bar.
• Make sure the website has a secure connection. 
  • For a secure connection, look for the “s” at the end of the https:// address bar. The http:// without an "s" is not a secure connection. A padlock icon also indicates a secure connection, but remember, while a “secure” connection is good, the website itself could still be fake.

• Close the website, delete the email, hang up the phone. Do not click on links or provide any account or personal information.
• Do not contact them at the phone number or email address provided. You should contact the real company or government agency through a trusted number, email address, or website you know is legitimate. Ask the trusted contact about the legitimacy or the attempted communication.
• Don’t provide any personal information, don’t allow anyone remote access to your computer, and don’t transfer funds or securities to anyone without verification.

If you think you have fallen victim to a scam or you want to report one, contact the Georgia Secretary of State for help. Email [email protected]  or call 470-312-2640.