Have A Smart Watch? Be Careful Of This Scam

There's always something to look out for these days. If you are a fitness enthusiast with some type of smartwatch that tracks your activity, be on the lookout for this scam. Yes, even trying to be fit and healthy can have some negative consequences it seems.

If you are in Minnesota or Wisconsin, be careful about making any friends via your Apple Watch or your Fitbit. Why? Because the Better Business Bureau says scammers are tapping into the wellness community, posing as a fellow fitness enthusiast in group chats and such connected to your smart watch.

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The BBB warned consumers about this recently, which is perfect timing considering this is the small window Northlanders have to be outside and exercising and taking advantage of the nice weather. It's also good timing because once winter get here, it becomes harder to stay focused, meaning you may rely more on online groups and forums.

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The scam starts when you get a message from someone in your fitness group, which varies depending on which type of smart watch you have. The scammer will try to befriend you. After awhile, they will ask more personal questions like where you are from, where you work and the like.

They take things up a notch shortly after, telling you stories about them to create a fake bond. They will then ask for money. We all know what happens from there. Simply put, this is a scam we've seen a thousand times, just with a different way of finding a victim.

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The BBB suggests the following when it comes to staying safe from scams like this:

• Do not send anyone money, especially anyone you meet on the internet.
• Do not give your personal information out on apps, like cell phone number or if you're married with kids.
• Don't click any links given to you from an unverified source.
• Don't share a picture of your face on your profile.

There you have it. Can't we just try to hit our fitness goals without worrying about scammers?!