Consumers should stay alert for spam emails that purport to come from well-known companies. The exact scam may vary, but usually the email will claim that there is a problem with the consumer’s account or an order has been mistakenly placed which the consumer needs to cancel. The email will provide a link which will take the consumer to a website that may look very similar to the true company’s website with a URL that may sound plausible. The consumer will be asked to input personal information which can range from credit card numbers to bank account numbers and PINs to Social Security numbers. Consumers should not enter any information or they put themselves at risk of becoming victims of identity theft. If consumers are not sure if the email is a hoax, they should check the real company’s website for a posting about the scam or call customer service. They should use a regular telephone or online directory to find the company’s contact information, not contact information provided in the email. 

What should I do if I gave away my personal information?

July 1 Opt-out Email

The "July 1 Opt-out" email is not a scam, although it does contain certain misinformation. The July 1 deadline relates to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB), which set July 1, 2001 as the deadline for financial institutions to give consumers the first of their annual notices about their privacy policies and how to opt-out of some of their information-sharing practices. Consumers may contact their financial institutions at any time to learn more about their privacy policies and to opt-out under the law.

The toll-free number - 1-888-567-8688 - is the number to call if consumers wish to opt-out of the pre-screened credit card or other offers that they receive in the mail. This is a legitimate number that will take consumers off the pre-screened marketing lists of the three major credit bureaus. Any personal information the credit bureaus may ask for is for verification purposes only. The credit bureaus already have all of the information. Consumers may call the pre-screened offers opt-out number at anytime. 

For more information, read Privacy Choices for Your Personal Financial Information.

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