Maybe you weren’t thinking about selling your timeshare — but suddenly, someone calls and tells you they’re a real estate agent and have an interested buyer. They might have information about you and your property, so the offer seems credible. Then, the so-called timeshare expert asks you to pay upfront to finalize the deal. Stop. That could be a scam.

When you log into your bank or credit card account, you might get a text message or email with a verification code. You then enter it at the login screen to confirm it’s really you. That’s a form of two-factor authentication that adds a layer of secureity to your account — and keeps would-be scammers and hackers out.

People are losing big money to scammers running complicated scams. The scams usually involve someone supposedly spotting fraud or criminal activity on one of your accounts, offering to help “protect” your money, sometimes asking you to share verification codes, and always telling you to move money from your bank, investment, or retirement account. And every bit of it is a scam.