Here are some tips to protect yourself from REAL ID scams.
SAN ANTONIO — Cyber crooks work 24/7 to steal your personal information. With Wednesday’s REAL ID deadline, and many likely procrastinating, it is a prime time for scammers to get what they want from you.
Getting your REAL ID is a process that has to be done in person. So if you stumble on a website that offers the ability to obtain a REAL ID online, know that there is a 100% chance that it is a scam.
James Faxon, San Antonio’s Nukudo managing director told KENS 5, “You’ve just got to be cautious through and through. When you’re at the end of the day, the only person that can issue REAL IDs is the DMV.”
Here’s how REAL ID scams work.
First with phishing, where scammers use fake emails, texts or messages while claiming to be from the DMV or other government agency. Second, with fake websites that look like legitimate government pages. And caller ID spoofing, which makes it appear as if they are calling from the government.
The goal is always to get ahold of your personal information. Social media is another route scammers use.
“The fake social media ads that you’ll see come out across various types of campaigns like this, where they claim to offer fast-track, real ID processing, just pay the one-time fee kind of thing,” said Faxon.
Here are some tips to protect yourself from REAL ID scams.
- Be wary of unsolicited communications.
- Verify the source before you click.
- Don’t click on anything suspicious.
- Never give out personal info over the phone or in email and text messages.
- Report suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission or Better Business Bureau.
Faxon says with advancements in technology these kind of scams will become more numerous, making the need for cybersecurity experts even greater.
“I think it’s going to become, and is today, even more so a critical component to how business and governments operate by having skilled resources that know how to deal with these types of situations and events,” he said.