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Maryland warns of potential scam targeting residents behind on taxes 03/11/2019 04:00pm • Maryland courts are warning residents about what they call a deceptive letter being sent to people who are behind on their taxes. The letters threaten people with the seizure of bank accounts and property, and even arrest, if the recipient doesn't call a number on it and pay their debts, accordi Data Doctors: The bad news about unwanted calls (and tips for handling them) 03/08/2019 09:24pm • Q: Why am I getting so many robocalls these days, and what can I do to stop them? A: If it seems like you’re getting a lot more calls that are either a robocall, a scammer or someone trying to sell you something, you’re not imagining it. According to call statistics from companies that mon How to Deal With Debt Collectors 02/11/2019 07:00pm • Debt collectors are a necessary evil in the U.S. credit system, but in some cases, their tactics can be predatory or even illegal. If you've been contacted by a debt collector for a past-due balance, going into the process blindly can give the collection agency the upper hand. Instead, educate yours Maryland State Police warn of phone scams using cloned numbers 02/07/2019 03:21pm • WASHINGTON — Various Maryland State Police barracks have been inundated with reports of phone scams, including one on Thursday where the scammer cloned the number of one of their barracks. The victim of that call told police she received a call from the number for the Leonardtown Barrack. The c Tax scams are on the rise — here's how to protect sensitive info 02/05/2019 05:39am • WASHINGTON — While minimizing what you owe or increasing your refund is usually the goal during tax season, protecting yourself from scams also should be a top priority. The Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center issued a tax season phishing alert, saying large-scale scams a How to Check Your Child's Credit Report 02/04/2019 07:00pm • As a parent, you want to protect your child from all of life's perils. While you might be on the lookout for bullies and strangers, fraud and identity theft might not be on your radar. But they should be. "Risk is part of parenting," says Trevor Buxton, certified fraud examiner and assistant vice p Data Doctors: Understanding short code text messages 02/04/2019 06:57am • Q: I received a text message from 77958 with a security code for the IRS Password Service. How can I tell if this really is the IRS? A: Tax filing season is ‘Christmas for Criminals’ and every year we see new scams attempting to trick taxpayers, so being very careful is a really good idea. What Is Card-Not-Present Fraud? 01/31/2019 07:00pm • Card-not-present fraud occurs in fraudulent transactions where a cardholder does not present a card to a merchant in person. It includes internet, phone and mail-order transactions. In most cases, this type of fraud happens after a crook steals card information such as a card number with hacking, s Where to Find Unclaimed Money 01/31/2019 07:00pm • There are a raft of databases for finding lost or unclaimed money from financial institutions, including banks, insurance companies and the U.S. Treasury. Say you closed out an old bank account and failed to withdraw payments from a former employer. Or you switched jobs and forgot about a former re Furloughed federal workers are warned of employment scams, bogus loans 01/21/2019 03:52am • WASHINGTON — As federal workers and contractors miss paychecks, consumer experts are warning them to be wary of scam artists who might seek to exploit their troubling situation. The Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection said anyone in financial distress should watch out for bogus loan What Is a Student Loan Servicer? 01/03/2019 07:00pm • Student loans account for a large and increasing share of consumer debt, especially for younger borrowers. According to third-quarter 2018 Federal Reserve data, borrowers in the U.S. owed more than $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. That mountain of debt is handled by student loan servicers -- the What's My Credit Card CVV? 01/01/2019 07:00pm • Aside from the card number itself, the CVV is one of the most important numbers on your credit or debit card. This three- or four-digit code is designed to prevent fraud. "The CVV was first devised as an anti-fraud mechanism," says Monica Eaton-Cardone, co-founder and chief operating officer of ris 15 tax questions -- answered 12/23/2018 05:00pm • It's time to file your taxes. As tax season approaches, it's time to tackle the tax questions, queries and mysteries that stumped you in previous years. Read on for answers to 15 common tax questions. Should I hire a tax preparer? Whether you opt to hire a tax professional will depend on yo 9 Holiday Shopping Scams to Watch Out for This Season 11/28/2018 07:00pm • We're in the thick of the holiday shopping season, but it isn't only retailers who want your money. Scammers and hackers are looking for ways to crack into your accounts and make off with your cash or your identity. The good news for consumers: Holiday shopping scams often follow a predictable scri Scammers at work: What you need to know about utility scams 11/23/2018 09:33pm • WASHINGTON — Scammers claiming to be from a utility are always at work, and lately, they’ve been busy going after Pepco customers. Christina Harper with Pepco said that Delmarva Power and Atlantic City Electric have also had reports of potential scams being attempted. In the latest cases,