Scam Prevention
Like many companies, Open Referral and its employees and agents are targeted by bad actors using a variety of fraudulent schemes that impersonate us or our agents in an attempt to elicit personal or financial information from consumers. Please exercise caution when engaging or working with anyone claiming to represent Open Referral, and always double or triple-check that an email, website, or text message is legitimate before sharing your personal information.
Below are some of the most common scams we have identified. Raising awareness of these practices can help protect you from falling victim to fraud.
Common Scams
Scam-Combating Tips
Already Believe You May Have Been Scammed?
If you believe you have shared personal or financial information with a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately. This includes your bank, credit card issuer, or payment service provider such as PayPal or Venmo. Ask about canceling fraudulent transactions and blocking future charges.
Freezing your credit reports can help prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened in your name. You can visit each credit bureau’s website for instructions on placing a security freeze:
You may also consider filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Below are some of the most common scams we have identified. Raising awareness of these practices can help protect you from falling victim to fraud.
Common Scams
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OpenReferral.us is our only official consumer-facing website. Scammers may operate fake or copycat websites — including domains ending in .com or other variations — that falsely claim to represent Open Referral. These websites may closely resemble our official site and may even display phone numbers or branding that appears legitimate. However, any website not hosted on openreferral.us is unauthorized.
Please carefully review the website URL before engaging with anyone claiming to represent Open Referral. Our official website will always be reflected as openreferral.us or www.openreferral.us. If you encounter a suspicious or copycat website, please notify us immediately at info@openreferral.us. -
Scammers posing as Open Referral agents may contact prospective buyers or renters and request payment via Zelle, Venmo, wire transfer, or other peer-to-peer payment methods using unfamiliar email addresses or phone numbers.
If you receive a payment request from an unknown or new contact, do not respond or click any embedded links. Instead, verify the request using the official contact information listed on openreferral.us. Responding to a fraudster or clicking links may confirm your contact details or expose you to malware. Please note that Open Referral does not request upfront payments through unofficial channels. -
Some Open Referral agents maintain independent websites, while others direct clients to their official presence on openreferral.us. Unfortunately, scammers may create fake agent websites using stolen photos, logos, or branding from legitimate agents or social media profiles.
These copycat sites are often unstable, minimally developed, or frequently offline. If you are unsure whether an agent or website is legitimate, visit openreferral.us and verify agent contact details directly through our official website.
Scam-Combating Tips
- Please do not share your password or one-time verification codes. Your risk of identity theft increases with every additional person who has access to your account or personal information.
- If you have already engaged an agent and receive communication from a new or unfamiliar number or email address, verify the change using previously known contact information or through openreferral.us.
- If you receive a request for payment via wire transfer, money order, Zelle, or Venmo from an unfamiliar source, confirm the request using official contact information listed on openreferral.us.
- Be cautious of messages that create an unexpected sense of urgency. Scammers often rely on panic to pressure victims into acting before verifying legitimacy.
- Only click on links from trusted senders. Malware and phishing attacks are often embedded in unverified links.
- Pay close attention to spelling, tone, and formatting in messages. Multiple spelling errors, unusual wording, or changes in communication style can be warning signs.
- Check the sender’s email address carefully. Legitimate Open Referral communications will always come from an email address ending in @openreferral.us.
- Limit the amount of personal information you share on social media. Publicly shared details such as travel plans, phone numbers, or addresses increase the risk of fraud.
Already Believe You May Have Been Scammed?
If you believe you have shared personal or financial information with a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately. This includes your bank, credit card issuer, or payment service provider such as PayPal or Venmo. Ask about canceling fraudulent transactions and blocking future charges.
Freezing your credit reports can help prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened in your name. You can visit each credit bureau’s website for instructions on placing a security freeze:
- Equifax – Freeze Your Equifax Credit Report
- Experian – Freeze Your Experian Credit Report
- TransUnion – Freeze Your TransUnion Credit Report
You may also consider filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).