TYLER, Texas (KETK) — Coleman Swierc from the East Texas Better Business Bureau stopped by East Texas Live on Thursday to give some tips on avoiding scams and fraud this year.

Swierc said that online buying is the riskiest ways to fall into a scam. He added that even when it comes to online vendors that people are familiar with, they may not always be the real deal even if they look like it.

With scammers lurking around every corner of the internet, it’s best to know the steps you can take to avoid being taken advantage of. Here are the ways that Swierc recommends that people look out for fraud:

• Be social media savvy
• Become familiar with new online payment methods and how they work
• Do learn how to turn on call and text blocking features on your mobile devices
• Never click on links in unsolicited emails or text messages
• Never send money or share personal information with people or businesses you don’t know
• Don’t fall in love with someone you’ve never met in person

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