This month, two special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Pittsburgh branch visited Harmony to talk about financial fraud and cyber crime at the Scenic Ridge senior community.

It’s important that we all take the time to protect ourselves against fraud and stay alert for potential scams, especially this time of year.

Every year, thousands of people fall victim to holiday scams such as nondelivery scams, in which a person pays for something that is never delivered, and nonpayment scams, in which a seller ships goods or services but never receives payment. There is also a lot of gift-card fraud, in which a seller asks the buyer to pay with a prepaid gift card.

The simplest advice the FBI offers us is that “If it seems too good to be true, that’s because it is.”

The FBI advises us to use “good cybersecurity hygiene.” Don’t click on any links or attachments in emails, on websites or on social media that seem suspicious. Phishing scams work by getting you to click on various links and eventually give up personal information such as your name, passwords, even a bank account number.

Companies shouldn’t be asking you for your password or account information. Look up the company that is asking for such information and call them back at their listed telephone number to ensure you’re talking with the person you think you’re talking to.

Before buying online, check the website’s address first — it should start with https. If it doesn’t, don’t trust the site. Research any company before you buy. Check out their reviews and feedback. Companies that either have poor reviews or no reviews at all should make us think twice before making any purchases.

Be wary of anyone who advertises as if they’re located in America or nearby but then responds to questions by stating they’re out of town or out of the country for special reasons.

Avoid paying for anything with prepaid gift cards. In these scams, sellers ask for a gift card number with a PIN and instead of using that card for payment, they steal the funds and never send the buyer anything. Use a real credit card when shopping online and check your account often to verify purchases.

Always ask for tracking numbers for items bought online and if you’re a seller, make sure credit card information matches the shipping information and wait for the card’s authorization before shipping anything.

Visit the FBI’s website at https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you to see more examples of potential scams and how to avoid them this holiday season.

— KL