Throughout the year, we hear about scams preying on a variety of potential targets.

Unfortunately, all too often, we also hear about many who fall victim to these scams, especially during the holidays, and some right here at home in Lawrence County.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine provides quality tips on protecting against an overpayment scam that is aimed to individuals, businesses and civic organizations. This scam seeks to make some form of payment, either by check or credit card, and then requests a refund of the overpayment amount. However, the initial payment made is not valid.

Here are some tips from the attorney general to protect residents from these scam attempts.

• Customers who send checks for more than the agreed-upon price.

• Customers who want their credit cards to be charged extra.

• Individuals who immediately agree to buy an item offered for sale online.

• Requests for wire transfers, money orders or prepaid cards (payment methods often requested by scammers).

• Demands for immediate action.

• Threats about what will happen if no action is taken.

Residents should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office if they are contacted by anyone trying to attempt any scams like these at 800-282-0515, or by visiting www.ohioprotects.org.

Ultimately, understanding the types of scams being used is the first step in properly defending against them.