Aug 12, 2026 / Money Tips
Scammers have gotten a little too good at looking legit. They may knock on your door dressed like a utility worker, send a package alert that looks straight from USPS, or slide into your inbox pretending to be your boss. Then they make urgent requests, hoping you’ll click, pay, or share your personal info before thinking twice.
Thankfully, many scams tend to follow the same playbook, so they’re easy to spot once you know the classic tricks.
Let’s break down four common schemes, the red flags hiding in plain sight, and how to confidently shut scammers down without breaking a sweat!
Nothing gets your attention quite like someone threatening to turn off the power. Scammers know it, and they’re not subtle about using that fear against you. They might call, text, email, or even show up at your door claiming your bill is overdue.
Then comes the pressure to pay now before your service is shut off. That’s your first clue! Scammers love to give you a scary deadline. Then, they’ll typically ask for payment through:
There’s another red flag. Legit utility providers don’t demand surprise payments through sketchy methods to stop a same-day shutoff.
What to do instead
Scammers want you to act fast out of panic, so take a beat to do the opposite and gut-check the situation. Contact your utility company using the phone number on your most recent bill or its official website (NOT the number or link the mystery messenger handed you), so your provider can tell you whether the balance is legit.
If it’s real, you took care of a bill. And if it’s not, you’ve just dodged a scam!
Ever gotten a text saying you’ve got a package stuck in delivery limbo? They usually come asking for your address, postage fees, or your credit card number to keep the package moving, with a conveniently placed link for you to provide your info. Don’t click it. (We’re begging you.)
Scammers can create fake delivery sites that look almost identical to the real thing, so anything you type in — your address, password, or payment information — goes directly to them.
What to do instead
Skip the mystery link and go straight to the source. Open the retailer’s app or website and check your tracking details there.
You can also type the delivery company’s official website directly into your browser and enter your tracking number yourself. Once you’ve confirmed the text is bogus, mark it as junk or spam. You can also forward it to 7726 to help your wireless provider investigate.
Maybe your package really is delayed. And if not, at least you found out without handing over your card number!
If you ever get a message from your boss asking for an urgent favor because they’re “trapped in a meeting and need gift cards for a client,” your natural instinct is probably to handle it immediately — because you’re helpful, efficient, and frankly crushing this whole employee thing.
That eagerness to help is exactly what scammers try to exploit. They pose as managers because they’re counting on you to respond first and question later. But once you send the gift card number and PIN, it’s game over — the money is theirs without ever handing them the physical card.
What to do instead
Before you run to the store, reach out to your boss face-to-face or through a phone number, email address, or messaging app you already know is real. A quick “Hey, was this really you?” may feel slightly awkward, but explaining why the company just lost $1,000 in gift cards will be much more awkward. And until then, leave the text message on read.
A job offer that pays big for low effort work can feel like a dream come true… until it turns out the job doesn’t exist. Scammers post listings with sky-high pay, then run the whole “interview” over text apps like Telegram or WhatsApp instead of a real call. Once you’re “hired,” they may mail you a check to deposit and spend on home-office equipment from their “preferred vendor.” The check bounces later, and you’re the one left covering the loss.
Other tells: being asked to pay for training or a background check upfront, getting hired instantly with no real interview, getting offers for jobs you never applied for, or being asked for a lot of personal information up front as part of the “onboarding” process.
What to do instead
Verify the company on its official website or cross-check the listing through the FTC before you engage further. A real employer will never make you pay to get hired, and won’t need your Social Security number or bank details until you’ve accepted a verified offer through a secure onboarding process. If the job feels too easy, it probably is.
Different Scams. Same Playbook.
A fake utility warning, a sketchy package text, and a “quick favor” from your boss may all look totally different, but scammers tend to recycle the same playbook:
When a message starts giving off suspicious energy, slow it down. Don’t click, don’t send money, and don’t let anyone rush you into a decision. Contact the company or person through a number, website, email, or app you already trust. A true request can survive a quick double-check!
Think You Responded to a Scam?
Don’t panic — it happens! Just cut off the conversation and contact Utah First right away if you shared account details, sent money, or noticed a transaction that definitely wasn’t part of your plans.
Call (801) 320-2600, send us a message through the Digital Banking app, or reach out using the secure form on our website.
Not sure whether it’s a big deal? We’ll help you figure that out. “Probably fine” is not our favorite fraud-prevention strategy.
One More Thing…
Your password is for your eyes only. Utah First will never ask you for it over the phone, in a text, or through email. If someone does, shut it down. That’s not us — it’s a scammer doing a very bad Utah First impression.
Anyone claiming otherwise? We don’t know them! Stop responding and contact us directly.
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