Fraud Protection Tips: Protecting your identity and online security Print | Close How to Report Fraud Involving the Liberty Mutual Insurance Name and Logo You can report suspected fraud, scams, and other misuse of the Liberty Mutual Insurance logo or name to: abuse@libertymutual.com. Types of Scams that Use the Liberty Mutual Name or Logo Counterfeit Checks: You receive what looks like a legitimate Liberty Mutual check in the mail. The check has the proper Liberty Mutual logo, and it seems real, but there’s a provision that you must return a portion of the funds for one reason or another. So, you sign the check, deposit it at your bank and send back the requested money. Then you hear from your bank that the check was a fraud, and you’re now on the hook for all the funds, including any you’ve spent. Now you’re out anywhere from hundreds to potentially thousands of dollars. It’s a common scam that takes on many different forms. Here are some to watch out for: Fake Sweepstakes, Lotteries and More You receive a counterfeit “prize” check and are asked to return some of the funds as a tax payment or handling fee. Please keep in mind that Liberty Mutual Insurance does not conduct, sponsor, or underwrite any lotteries or prize drawings and, as such, does not issue checks for any winnings. Liberty Mutual does occasionally run sweepstakes, but these do not involve checks. Legitimate sweepstakes will be listed on the LibertyMutual.com webpage. Employment Opportunities, Work-From-Home Jobs, and Internships In this scam, you apply for and are offered a job or internship that was posted on-line. You then receive a check from the “employer” that includes both your wages and an additional amount, for example, to buy equipment needed for your home office. You are told to deposit the check, keep what you’ve “earned” and send the rest to a specified address. Please keep in mind that a legitimate employer would handle all payments itself, rather than going through an individual. Payment for Goods or Services You perform a service for or sell something to another person, on Craigslist or another online site. In lieu of paying you with cash or a personal check, the person sends a Liberty Mutual check payable to you. The check is for more than the person owes you, and they ask you to send them the difference. The check is likely counterfeit and will bounce at your bank after you have paid the other person the difference. To help prevent this, only accept verified payment methods, such as a cashier’s check or cash. Mystery Shopper or similar scams also use counterfeit Liberty Mutual checks. In these instances, you are asked to deposit the “check” and then wire funds to a specific account, all while evaluating the customer service of the wire transfer company. Be very cautious with any opportunity that asks you to deposit a check and then wire funds from your account. Scammers will also list opportunities to earn money while not doing anything, such as advertising by having your vehicle wrapped with a Liberty Mutual logo. The scammer then sends you a check and directs you to pay the detailer. Liberty Mutual does not advertise this way. The bottom line is: Do not cash suspicious checks appearing to be from Liberty Mutual Insurance. Liberty Mutual will not honor these counterfeit checks nor offer reimbursement for any money lost. To further protect yourself, please review the fraud tips below. Additional scam examples are listed with the Federal Trade Commission: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts Fraud Protection Tips Take these important steps today to protect your name, credit and reputation: Annual Credit Report www.annualcreditreport.com If you have specific questions about your credit file, you should contact the nationwide consumer credit reporting company directly using the contact information provided with your credit report. Equifax www.equifax.com To report fraud: 800-525-6285 Experian www.experian.com To report fraud: 888-397-3742 To order your credit report: 888-397-3742 Transunion www.transunion.com To report fraud: 800-680-7289 To order your credit report: 855-681-3196 If It Seems Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is. Be sure to question anything that seems suspicious, especially if someone is trying to pressure you to do something quickly because it is “time sensitive”. For example, if you are not a Liberty Mutual customer and have no business with Liberty Mutual, definitely do not cash a check you receive that appears to be from Liberty Mutual. Try to Contact the Real Source. If you receive a suspicious looking check, notice, or request, the best course of action is to contact the company by a known verified method, such as the phone number listed on your billing statement or the number posted on the company’s official website. Do not use the contact number provided by the individual who mailed you the check. Electronic Messages. If you receive a suspicious email or text message, don’t click on any links, don’t reply with your personal information, don’t call the phone number, and don’t wire or otherwise provide money to the organization or person. The same rules apply if you get a suspicious phone call or postal mail solicitation. Websites. Typing in a domain name or website address directly into your browser window can help for two reasons. First, it keeps you from clicking on links in emails that may direct you to a scam. Second, it helps you avoid lookalike sites – fake sites that mimic, say, a banking site but use a slightly different yet very similar looking domain name or website address. Logging in or providing information to such a site could result in identity theft. Review Your Credit Report Annually. Be familiar with your credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and Transunion; they each provide one free credit report per year through AnnualCreditReport.com. You may spot fraudulent accounts opened in your name or other signs of identity theft. See if there are accounts or addresses you don’t recognize. Is your social security number correct? Have there been more credit inquiries than normal? Any of these may be early signs of identity theft. If you find something suspicious on your credit report, call the agency’s fraud hotline immediately. You also may want to add a consumer fraud alert, which asks creditors to telephone you each time a new account is opened in your name. Limit the Use of Your Social Security Number. Provide your social security number only when necessary and never provide it in response to an unsolicited email or phone call. Don’t carry the card in your wallet and never print it on your checks. Secure and Shred Unneeded Important Papers. Consider purchasing a home safe to store important documents, such as tax returns, birth certificates, and passports. Secure the safe to a wall or the floor so it can’t easily be carried off. Use a crosscut shredder to destroy sensitive documents you don’t need to keep. Create and Use Complex Passwords. Use a strong password, a unique one for each account. Don’t use an easily discoverable password, like your mother’s maiden name. When creating a password, include letters, numbers and symbols (for example: E$G%2Q) since they are more difficult for identity thieves to guess. Don’t Give Out Financial Information Online or Over the Phone. Unless you initiated the contact and you know the party you are dealing with, do not give out financial information online or over the phone. Protect Your Digital Life. Keep your operating system and software up to date, as well as your firewall, spyware, and virus protection programs. Furthermore, before recycling or donating an old computer, remove and destroy the hard drive. For more information about protecting your identity or responding to identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission or the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. Additional Resources Learn more about identity theft and how to protect yourself by visiting: Anti-Phishing Working Group www.antiphishing.org Federal Trade Commission https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts Identity Theft Resource Center www.idtheftcenter.org Internet Crime Complaint Center https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx Privacy Rights Clearinghouse www.privacyrights.org Footer ©2021 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116