Oregon State Treasury

WATCH FOR RED FLAGS! 

There are countless ways that people may try to separate you from your hard-earned money or property, and while many of those are illegal, some are indeed legal. That means you need to be vigilant every time you open your wallet – or even if somebody offers you something for free. Remember, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, a free dinner or even a free midnight snack. Somebody is going to pay for it … and it’s probably you.

Here are just a few of the many themes you should be wary of.  Not every situation is spelled out here, but there are some red flags that you should approach cautiously:

• Something that is "free," or that requires your account info
  
• Paying a bit now for vague promises of riches later
  
• Contests that you haven't entered, or that require your account info
  
• Any "emergency" financial transaction requiring immediate action
  
• An absolutely guaranteed return
  
• Achieving tough goals with little or no work​
  

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