Protection Against Social Scams

What are social scams?

Social scams (also referred to as social engineering) are designed to trick someone into releasing sensitive information. Often, social scammers are looking for access to company information like financial data, intellectual property, personnel records, customer databases and personal or financial information that can be used to steal people’s identities.

Unlike phishing, these scams can be highly personalized, and often involve a telephone call, contact through social media platforms, and even in-person interactions. These scams often rely on the natural tendency of people to want to help solve a problem.

Example 1:

To break into a computer network, a scammer might try to gain the confidence of someone who is authorized to access the network. He might call the authorized employee with some kind of urgent problem in order to get him or her to reveal information that compromises the network’s security.

Example 2:

To gain access to sensitive accounts, a scammer might call and claim to be a representative of a company. They will request information about the account (like a password) under the guise of an issue or upgrade that needs to be addressed immediately.

How do I protect myself against social scams?

Be wary of anyone who requests any sort of personal information in any unsolicited form of communication. Verify the legitimacy of the person with the company directly before providing any information.

How do I report a social scam to ADP?

Let us know right away if you receive a suspicious communication from someone who claims to be from ADP. Send a description of your experience to abuse@adp.com.

We will contact you or your employer as appropriate, take the steps necessary to address suspicious events, and work with anti-cybercrime organizations on an ongoing basis to help reduce social scamming.