Vicky Nguyen

Exactly. And often there's an amount due, right? It's a number that looks like it could be legitimate. We're often in a hurry. We tap on things before we even think about it. And so my advice is always pause before you tap. Click anything. Think to yourself, does this look legit? Just remember, the government, they're all about the snail mail.

So anytime you get something that's like a phone call or an email or a text, you should be extra suspicious.

So anytime you get something that's like a phone call or an email or a text, you should be extra suspicious.

So anytime you get something that's like a phone call or an email or a text, you should be extra suspicious.

Yeah, so if you have clicked on it and you did pay this money, you do want to report it immediately to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. That website is ic3.gov. So ic3.gov. And you can at least file a complaint. I would also advise you to go to your credit card company. Hopefully, they can either stop the payment or reverse the charge and give you a new credit card.

Yeah, so if you have clicked on it and you did pay this money, you do want to report it immediately to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. That website is ic3.gov. So ic3.gov. And you can at least file a complaint. I would also advise you to go to your credit card company. Hopefully, they can either stop the payment or reverse the charge and give you a new credit card.

Yeah, so if you have clicked on it and you did pay this money, you do want to report it immediately to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. That website is ic3.gov. So ic3.gov. And you can at least file a complaint. I would also advise you to go to your credit card company. Hopefully, they can either stop the payment or reverse the charge and give you a new credit card.

And I should say you should probably put a freeze on your credits. or maybe sign up for a credit monitoring system because what else did they get access to in that time in terms of your identity?

And I should say you should probably put a freeze on your credits. or maybe sign up for a credit monitoring system because what else did they get access to in that time in terms of your identity?

And I should say you should probably put a freeze on your credits. or maybe sign up for a credit monitoring system because what else did they get access to in that time in terms of your identity?

Just do a gut check, always pause, get a second opinion before you ever give out your personal information or pay a penny to anyone.

Just do a gut check, always pause, get a second opinion before you ever give out your personal information or pay a penny to anyone.

GoFundMe actually has this centralized hub for all of its fundraisers related to the wildfire, and their trust and safety team has verified that. So you can go to that hub to make sure the fund that you're trying to donate to is legitimate.

GoFundMe actually has this centralized hub for all of its fundraisers related to the wildfire, and their trust and safety team has verified that. So you can go to that hub to make sure the fund that you're trying to donate to is legitimate.

They do have a money-back guarantee for your peace of mind, but they also say, please, use your common sense, not just for this disaster, but for all GoFundMe accounts that are set up. So some tips. Donate to fundraisers where you directly know someone or it's a friend of a friend. That way, at least you have a connection.

They do have a money-back guarantee for your peace of mind, but they also say, please, use your common sense, not just for this disaster, but for all GoFundMe accounts that are set up. So some tips. Donate to fundraisers where you directly know someone or it's a friend of a friend. That way, at least you have a connection.

If it's a stranger, you want to look at the description and make sure it has information about the organizer and their actual relationship to the beneficiaries. And this one's a little trickier, but if you know how to go on Google and use a reverse image search, Google will allow you to look up the images on that GoFundMe to see if those are just stock photos.

If it's a stranger, you want to look at the description and make sure it has information about the organizer and their actual relationship to the beneficiaries. And this one's a little trickier, but if you know how to go on Google and use a reverse image search, Google will allow you to look up the images on that GoFundMe to see if those are just stock photos.

Almost like catfishing, Vicki, in a way.

Almost like catfishing, Vicki, in a way.