Iowans are known for our hard work, trustworthiness, and trust in others. Unfortunately, that trust of others can lead us into falling for scams. Here is a list of some of the current most common scams according to USA.gov.

Coronavirus Scams, Rumors, and Price Gouging

• • Scammers are incredibly opportunistic and the current pandemic is no different. Scams include fake charities asking for donations, stimulus check “fees” where scammers attempt to collect fake fees, fake testing and treatment scams where victims are promised “home” test kits or “miracle” cures that don’t exist.

Telephone Scams

• • Thieves try to steal your money or personal information through phone calls, robocalls, and text messages. Capitol View recently had a member report a fraudulent text asking them to click a link in order to lower their mortgage payments. Always be very suspicious when being asked to follow unsolicited links or provide personal information.

Banking Scams

• • Common banking scams include overpayment scams (where victims are sent a fake check and asked to wire or return a portion of the amount), unsolicited check fraud, “free trial” automatic withdrawals, and phishing.

Census-Related Fraud

• • Be cautious of scams related to the 2020 Census. The most anticipated scam involves a fraudster posing as a census taker in order to obtain sensitive personal information.

Charity Scams

• • • Always do your research into charities prior to donating. In addition to fake charities, some scammers will pretend to be a legitimate organization, but lead you to a fraudulent donation webpage. Be sure to verify that you are on an official donation webpage before submitting payment information.

For more details on these common scams and tips on how to avoid them, visit www.usa.gov/common-scams-frauds