OPINION: Beware of free car emergency kit offers via email

Have you been offered a free car emergency kit from AAA? How about promised cash rewards for being a State Farm customer?

For either, you’re told that all you need to do is fill out a short survey, but don’t do it. They’re both scams.

I have received nearly a dozen from AAA in the past few weeks, and I must admit that for a moment or two, I was tempted. Who doesn’t want to prepare for an emergency?

But AAA is warning that these emails are a phishing scam designed to steal personal information. They might tell you that your emergency kit reward is expiring soon or claim that the gift is part of a AAA anniversary celebration. Some use wording such as “Your Opinion Matters.”

The State Farm emails have subject lines such as “Congratulations State Farm Customer” or “Your Fifty Dollar State Farm Reward is Waiting.”

If you receive these kinds of emails, do not click on any links. Simply delete.

Your card was declined

The decline of a credit card for an attempted online purchase might be the latest sign of a shopping scam.

It can happen when you see a great deal, but are asked before you buy to provide personal information such as email address, phone number and shipping address, according to the Better Business Bureau. When you enter your debit or credit card number, you’re told that your card did not go through or you get an error message.

In reality, your card will have been charged for something you were never able to purchase — and often in excess of that amount.

One person told the BBB she wanted to purchase a water bottle and ended up trying three different payment methods when the website declined her initial transaction. Each card had fraudulent charges pop up, and the woman reported losing $200.

Avoid this by making sure that you’re shopping on a legitimate website. If your card is rejected for any particular reason, check with the company to see if there’s a problem.

No matter how tempting the deal, research the business offering it by looking up customer reviews online. You can see if the company is accredited by the BBB by going to bbb.org.

Also, use a credit card to make online purchases. Credit cards offer more protection against fraud than debit cards, so you should be able to contest any unanticipated charges on your account.

There’s a problem with your loan

The latest trend seems to be people getting calls about loan applications for which they have never applied, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Those who have reported this say the calls have come in bursts of five to 20 a day, all from different numbers and leaving urgent messages saying the application is on hold because more information is needed. The potential victims are asked to call back.

“It’s a tactic that some dishonest companies are using to offer loans,” the FTC says.

If you get such a call, don’t be tempted into pressing a number to “unsubscribe.”

“That only lets the dishonest company know your number is good,” the FTC says. “Instead, just hang up.”

Also, don’t give information to businesses you don’t know — even if they seem to know you. This could be a scheme to get your personal information.

Contact Ellen Marks at emarks@abqjournal.com if you are aware of what sounds like a scam. To report a scam to law enforcement, contact the New Mexico Consumer Protection Division at 505-490-4060. Complaints can be filed electronically at nmag.gov/contact-us/file-a-complaint/