TRUST BUT VERIFY
Nope, I'm not talking politics here. I'm talking about scams.
?Because sometimes it feels like the scammers (again, not talking politics) have taken over the world. There's the toll road scam; the charity donation scam; even the romance scam.
?It can make you distrustful of just about everyone. That's where "trust but verify" comes into play. Often attributed to Ronald Reagan, who used the quote in reference to the Cold War, the saying actually comes from a Russian proverb meaning: don't assume everyone is out to get you, but do your due diligence just in case they are.
?Recently, I was approached by a vendor who offered to fix my Wikipedia page, which had been flagged for errors. (Never mind that I had a professional set it up in the first place with no flags.) I checked out the vendor and it all sounded legit and not of the too good to be true variety. Just a good offer.
?So I bit. Then accidentally overpaid the vendor. Uh-oh, I thought. I probably fell for a scam, doubly painful because we had overpaid. So, taking a deep breath, I asked for a refund on the overpayment.
?And I got it. I was shocked, but grateful. Check back in a few weeks and you and I will both see if my Wikipedia page is actually flag-free.
?To avoid most online scams, here's what the FDIC recommends:
Stay safe out there!