HOW TO SAFELY VERIFY A COMPANY

Type the company's website address into your browser yourself.

• Good: Typing "irs.gov" into the address bar of your browser
• Bad: Clicking a link in a text message claiming to be from the IRS

Look for a trusted source such as the back of your credit card, a recent bill or statement, official paperwork from the company, or your account portal with the company.

Never call a phone number, visit a website, or reply using contact information provided in a popup message, email, text message, social media message, or unsolicited phone call. If the contact is legitimate, you will be able to verify it through independent sources.

Many people assume that if they search for (aka “Google”) a company's phone number, the first result must be legitimate. Unfortunately, scammers know this and often create fake customer service websites, fake support pages, and even paid advertisements designed to appear in search results. Before calling a phone number you found online:

• Make sure you are on the company's official website
• Be cautious of results marked “sponsored” or “promoted”
• Check the website address carefully for misspellings or unusual wording
• If in doubt, compare the information with a recent bill, statement, or official document