Dollar Scholars Foundation

Topic 7 of 10

Scam Awareness and Identity Protection

Recognize today's scams, especially those aimed at immigrants, renters, and job seekers. Protect your identity for free, and recover if it is stolen.

Lessons: 3 About 49 min in total

Scams change every year, but most follow the same pattern. Someone pretends to be a person or group you trust, tells you about a problem or a prize, pushes you to act fast, and asks for a payment that is hard to get back. These three lessons build on the identity theft and fraud part of the Money Smart for Adults class. They show real examples from the Washington, DC area, free ways to protect your identity, and what to do in the first hours if something goes wrong. Each lesson ends with a short practice quiz.

Builds on Money Smart for Adults

  • Module 11: Protecting Your Identity and Other Assets
  • Module 6: Credit Reports and Scores (Section 5, credit repair scams)
  • Module 14: Disasters: Financial Preparation and Recovery (Section 2, scams after disasters)

Start the first lesson

Lessons in this topic

  1. Spot Today's Scams: Impostors, Texts, and Payment Apps

    The warning signs every scam shares, real example messages, and what to do in the first hour if you have been scammed.

    About 15 min Quiz questions: 5

  2. Scams That Target Immigrants, Renters, and Job Seekers

    Notario fraud, fake government calls, job and rental scams, and money mule schemes, and where to find real, free help in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

    About 16 min Quiz questions: 5

  3. Protect Your Identity and Recover If It's Stolen

    Step-by-step credit freezes, lesser-known locks such as the IRS IP PIN, and a recovery checklist if someone uses your identity.

    About 18 min Quiz questions: 5