Protect yourself from fraud

Learn to protect your money and your personal information from scam artists who target people every day. We’re here to help, so you don’t become a victim.

Fraud protection Fraud protection

Use strong passwords & update them often. Try not to use the same password for multiple accounts.

Never share your card number, PIN number or account password with anyone. Green Dot will never ask for this over the phone. Also, memorize your PIN. Make it easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess.

Log out after every session, especially if using a public or shared computer.

Never share a Green Dot verification code with anyone. If you did not request the code, someone may be trying to access your account. Always keep verification codes private.

Be suspicious of emails or texts that you don’t expect that ask you to reset your account password or log in to your account. When in doubt, visit Green Dot directly to access your account and update account info. 

Keep your software current. Keep your operating system, web browsers, and your applications up to date to protect against the latest threats. This is especially true for anti-virus and other security software. Most software can update automatically, so set up yours to do so.

Back up your files. Copy your files to an external hard drive or cloud storage. If your computer is attacked by malware, you'll still have access to your files. Ransomware encrypts not only your hard drives, but any attached backup drives as well. Backing up to a reliable cloud provider adds additional protection against ransomware.

Beware of links and attachments. Instead of clicking on a link in an email, type the URL of a trusted site directly into your browser. Don’t open attachments in emails unless you know who sent it and what it is. Links and attachments may look legitimate but clicking on them could download malware or send you to a scam site.

Get well known software directly from the source. A common rule-of-thumb is to never download or install something that you specifically didn’t go looking for.

Lock your card using the app if you aren’t going to use your account for an extended period of time. You can lock and unlock your card with just a tap.

Fraud text alerts can be helpful. We monitor your account and will send a text if we ever notice something suspicious. Message and data charges may apply.

If your card is ever lost or stolen, report it immediately. Please request a card replacement to report a lost, compromised, or stolen card. Your card will be cancelled and a new one will be issued.  Please see your Account Agreement for more information.

Green Dot will only call you if you request a call back. Every call back will have an assigned case number. You can ask for that case number when you receive a call back. 

Don’t respond to debt requests over the phone. The federal government, the IRS, law enforcement agencies, debt collectors or utilities companies will NEVER ask you for your card number over the phone to make a payment. 

Never send money to people you don’t know. Fraudsters may attempt to impersonate others to trick you into sending money to fraudulent accounts. Only send money to people you trust. 

Don’t let scammers scare or bully you. They can be extremely convincing and will play on your fears and sympathies to try to get you to cooperate.

Don’t make purchases with your card on websites you don’t trust or are unfamiliar with. Any website with a secure connection will have "https" in the address field or the padlock icon visible.  

Don’t fall for offers that appear too good to be true. These are often sent by email, text or advertised in social media.

For more info about avoiding scams, including those related to Coronavirus, visit the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information website for the latest guidance. If you believe you have become a victim of fraud, please contact your local police department immediately.