Fraud Prevention
Remain Vigilant Against Scams and Fraudulent Activities
Fraud and scams are widespread. With the continuous advancement of technology, it has become increasingly easier for criminals to target individuals from any location globally.
Be Cautious With All Communication
Scams and fraudulent activities are prevalent right now, and technology and the ease of acquiring information make it easier for fraudsters to exploit the trust you may have placed with well-known companies like American Century Investments or its employees. Fraudsters can use many different channels to reach you, including through social media posts, or by phone, text, emails, or even the mail. American Century Investments does not request direct payments via any of these channels. As such, if you have been contacted out of the blue or if there are any doubts, you should not proceed, provide any information, or make any payments. You should check with someone you trust, obtain a phone number from a trusted source, or report it to your local authorities.
Tactics used by fraudsters include:
Phishing Websites can be used to acquire sensitive personal information.
Impersonation of American Century Investment employees.
Leveraging fake social media channels or messaging applications to administer career opportunities, alleged training and/or achieve high returns.
Fake emails through free webmail services.
Time pressure to take advantage of a limited offer.
Explore what you can do to safeguard your information.
Red Flags
Watch for potential warning signs or red flags that could indicate a scam. Please be advised that this list is not comprehensive. Here are some common examples:
Payment requests that are directed to bank accounts of individuals, companies, or third parties not connected to American Century Investments or a party with which you transact. Please note that you should carefully scrutinize any request for payments with cryptocurrency, gift cards, or with electronic payment wallets. American Century Investments does not ever request such payments.
Emails originating from free webmail services, domains, or addresses with slight modifications—such as the inclusion or exclusion of letters, numbers, or special characters within otherwise familiar addresses (e.g., amerlcancentury.com instead of americancentury.com)—should be carefully scrutinized. It is important to note that all individual American Century Investment employee emails conclude with @americancentury.com or amcen.in.
Spelling and grammar errors in documents or communications.
Returns that significantly exceed market norms and seem unrealistic or that promise guaranteed returns on investments.
Frequent changes in email domains or addresses, such as initial emails from a fake domain like @americancenturyfunds.com followed by emails from a different address like @americancentury.co.uk, may be indicative of suspicious activity.
Changing email domains or addresses during a conversation can indicate that the previous domain is no longer functional.
Pressuring you to make a decision or payment urgently, or indicating that if you do not act quickly, you will miss out on a prize, refund, or some particular benefit.
Requests for new or additional payments to release previously made investments (allegedly for tax, administrative, or other reasons) are not legitimate. American Century Investments never requests such payments for you to access your accounts or investments.
Types of Scams and Fraud
There are many types of scams and frauds prevalent in the financial industry. The FBI provides a comprehensive list of scam and fraud tactics , accompanied by definitions for each. It is crucial to be aware of these tactics and understand how to safeguard yourself against them.
Am I Being Scammed?
If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, we are here to help.
If you’ve become aware of a scam or suspect that there is a scam involving American Century Investments’ name and/or someone claiming to work for or represent American Century Investments, please contact us immediately at IT-AmericanCenturyInvestmentScamAlert@americancentury.com.
Provide the following information:
Name
Best contact information and time zone
Brief information about the type of fraudulent activity or scam
What To Do Right Away
If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, here are some steps you should take as soon as possible.
Step 1: Protect your financial accounts
Check your accounts frequently for unauthorized activity (bank, credit card, phone, utilities, etc.)
Change usernames and passwords (after running antivirus/antispyware software). This is especially important for websites where you have saved personal and banking information. Use a strong password and add multi-factor authentication for accounts that offer it.
If you suspect any unauthorized activity, alert your financial institutions immediately that your identity has been compromised or that you have been a victim of a scam.
Step 2: Place a fraud alert and get your credit reports
Place a fraud alert on your SSN by contacting one of the three credit bureaus listed below. In most situations you can receive a free one-year credit monitoring, but you should consider enrolling in a long term monitoring service. The credit bureau that you contact is required to notify the other two.
Equifax: Call 1-800-525-6285 or visit www.equifax.com
Experian: Call 1-888-397-3742 or visit www.experian.com
TransUnion: Call 1-800-680-7289 or visit www.transunion.com
Request a free credit report. Accounts in your name or incorrect information may be a sign of identity theft. Under federal law, you are entitled to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the three credit bureaus. To order your free copy:
Call 1-877-322-8228 (toll-free)
Complete an Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The form is available at www.ftc.gov .
Step 3: Report identity theft and/or a scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
To file a report, visit www.identitytheft.gov or call 1-877-438-4338.
Identitytheft.gov will create your Identity Theft Report and recovery plan based on the information you enter.
Your Identity Theft Report proves to businesses that someone stole your identity. It also guarantees you certain rights.
Step 4: You may choose to file a report with your local police department
Go to your local police office with a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report.
Tell the police someone stole your identity and that you need to file a report.
Ask for a copy of the police report. You may need this to complete other steps.
Step 5: File a complaint via the Internet Crime Complaint Center
If you have fallen victim to a cybercrime, you may visit FBI IC3 to file a complaint via the Internet Crime Complaint Center, which is monitored by the FBI.
Additional Resources
American Century Investments® and Avantis Investors® use a limited number of official websites and social media platforms. Please scrutinize any websites or social media sites that do not match these official sites that we use.
Websites:
www.americancentury.com - domains that would be used for communication
www.avantisinvestors.com - domains that would be used for communication
Social Media Sites:
Facebook
LinkedIn:
Instagram:
X (Twitter):
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We're Here to Help
If you’ve become aware of a scam or suspect that there is a scam involving American Century Investments, please contact us immediately. Explore our Security Center to learn more about how to protect yourself against fraud.
This material has been prepared for educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, investment, accounting, legal or tax advice.