October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and a good time to review ways to arm yourself against financial fraud as well as steps to take if you think you’re being targeted.

In this age of social media, it’s easy for criminals to make up convincing stories based on details they gain from your online posts.

This includes things like the names of your friends and family, where you work and when you are on vacation. This information can be used to concoct requests for money from supposed jailed or hospitalized relatives.

If you get an unexpected email, it could be a phishing scam. Fraudsters can use fake email or texts to retrieve your valuable information.

These criminals can also spoof phone numbers to help conceal the actual number from which they’re calling, so don’t rely on caller ID. When in doubt, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement or the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request.

You can get updated information on financial fraud by signing up for the free Federal Trade Commission (FTC) scam alert emails at www.ftc.gov/scams. You also can find information on current fraud from credible sources, such as the Better Business Bureau or the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud.

If you think you’ve been defrauded or even if something just seems awry, don’t hesitate to seek advice. For example, if you get a suspicious call saying your grandchild is in jail, call his or her parents before offering any information.

The FTC has an online complaint assistance form you can fill out based on the type of financial fraud you believe is being committed, including such things as unwanted telemarketing, text, rip offs and impostor scams. This form is available at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.

If your information is compromised, change account numbers, phone numbers, credit/debit card numbers and passwords. Review your credit reports, account statements and bills carefully for any unusual activity of charges, or have a trusted person review it for you.

Even if you haven’t been defrauded, you should consider putting a free credit freeze on your report to prevent problems in the future. The freeze will restrict access to your credit report, which can make it harder for thieves to open new accounts in your name.

You can unfreeze for a short window when you are applying for a loan, making a large purchase or taking another credit-related action.

Financial fraud schemes are morphing all the time — don’t delay implementing these tips. Remember, procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.

Wendy Bennett is a senior financial adviser in Butler.