WESTWOOD—On Monday, March 3, the UCLA PD discussed warning the public about National Consumer Protection Awareness Week.

The FTC reports consumers lose billions of dollars to fraud each year. Individuals are asked to remain vigilant and be aware of scams that are out there.

Beware of scams: Never share personal or financial information. Financial institutions will not call to request your account details.

-Keep receipts and records.

Individuals should use secure payment methods online, such as credit cards or PayPal. Avoid giving out any bank information and the use of strong passwords are important with anything done online. Individuals should reframe from using public Wi-Fi when making purchases.

The UCLA Police Department is a proud participant in the United States Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force, working to combat cyber fraud and protect the community.