Scam and Fraud Prevention Center
How to prevent scams throughout the school year
Grandparent scams impersonate their family members in distress.
Verify first. Call or text the child (or another family member) directly using a known number.
Don’t rely on caller ID. Phone numbers can be spoofed to look familiar and disguise their true identity.
Listen for red flags. Scammers will often insist on secrecy or demand urgent action.
Avoid unusual payment methods. Requests to send gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency are almost always scam tactics.
Ask personal questions. AI can be very deceiving! Pick something only your actual grandchild would know, or develop a family code word.
Tech support scams surge with new devices and fresh login credentials.
Don’t open unknown links. If you’re asked to run a scan on your computer or open files to fix a problem from a pop-up or email, it’s likely a scam.
Beware of unsolicited calls. Real tech support companies, such as Microsoft, don’t contact you first.
Go direct to the source. If you get a “security alert,” visit the official website or app. Fake software or repair services could steal payment information.
Don’t authorize remote access. If you didn’t initiate the help request, never give access to your computer and network.
Use strong, unique passwords. Also, enable multi-factor authentication so a scammer can’t use a stolen password.
Scholarship and financial aid scams target college students.
Verify first. Check that offers are real through trusted sources, like your school’s financial aid office or reputable scholarship databases.
Avoid “guaranteed” awards. Real companies never promise scholarships or grants.
Watch for red flags. Scammers will often use high-pressure sales tactics to get you to pay for opportunities in a rush.
Never pay to apply. Legitimate scholarships don’t collect payment information to check eligibility or charge a processing fee or redemption fee.
File your own FAFSA. Don’t pay anyone to process your FAFSA, which is likely a scam.
If you believe any of your accounts have been compromised, contact your financial institutions immediately to protect your funds and prevent losses. Greenlight’s external account monitoring helps you track activity across accounts held at other financial institutions to detect suspicious activity, prevent incremental losses from fraud, and keep your accounts secure from unauthorized use.
How to manage Greenlight’s external account monitoring alerts for unusual account activity
How to utilize Greenlight Family Shield’s identity theft and deceptive transfer insurance coverage
Were you a victim of a data breach or identify theft? You can place credit freezes or fraud alerts with the three major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. The Federal Trade Commission provides resources on how to get started.
$16.6B — Amount of fraud losses reported in 2024
Link accounts to catch suspicious activity.
Monitor finances, flag unusual activity, and be ready for emergencies with Family Shield.