If you find you need to contact your brokerage firm's customer support department, but you can't remember the phone number, you might go online to a search engine to find the contact information -- and you might get caught up in a scam as a result.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which oversees the U.S. broker-dealer industry, has found that scammers are impersonating some FINRA member firms' support centers by using "sponsored search result ads" (tinyurl.com/mwmexxfu). You may recognize these ads: They frequently appear as the first search results when using a web browser or search engine.

When someone clicks on the scam ad, "instead of being directed to the firm's page, they're taken to a fraudulent website controlled by bad actors," FINRA reported, adding that scammers "then attempt to steal funds or personal information from their targets."

How does the ad scam work?

Sponsored ads are created that mimic a firm's legitimate information, FINRA said. The ads often use a firm's logo -- or an image that is extremely similar to the logo. The ad might have the firm's URL or web address -- but clicking on the link will actually lead you to a different destination.

Because the fake ad might appear to be a natural result of a legitimate search (since sponsored ads often appear near regular search results), it can be difficult to spot.

If you end up at the fraudulent website, the scammers "might attempt to gain access to your computer by prompting you to download remote login software or malware," according to the Investor Insight.

If they are successful, the scammers "can retrieve personal information and login credentials, transfer funds and install malware for future attacks -- potentially all without you realizing what has occurred."

As FINRA points out, the ad can include a fraudulent phone number, and if you call that number, you can still become a victim of fraud even if you never visit the fake website.

FINRA notes that this scam is closely related to tech support scams, a particular plague for those over the age of 60. The FBI's 2023 Internet Crime Report indicated that tech and customer support fraud, along with government impersonation, involved losses totaling more than $1.3 billion, with more than $770 million of that total related to those over age 60 (tinyurl.com/45k9v597).

FINRA offers a number of suggestions to avoid such a scam, including:

-- Contact the firm's support center directly from the firm's website or mobile application, rather than using a search engine. If you need to call the firm, use the number on your account statement.

-- If you should use a search engine, make sure you "differentiate between ads and legitimate search results." Ads often appear with the word "sponsored" or "ad" in the copy above them, or they might have background shading or appear in a box.

-- Check for typos or incorrect characters in headlines or URLs. If you click on a URL, make sure it matches the website address that is displayed.

-- If at any time during a support session you feel uncomfortable or suspect a scam, "end the session immediately by closing your browser and related programs, disconnecting your internet, or hanging up the call."

What should you do if you are drawn into a support center scam?

Act right away. Change your passwords immediately and report the incident to your brokerage firm. Some firms will recommend that your accounts be closed and new accounts opened in their place. Be sure to carefully review your accounts for unauthorized transfers, withdrawals, charges or unauthorized activity.

Run an antivirus scan on your computer. If the scam involves a fraudulent ad, report it to the relevant search engine company.

Report the scam to FINRA (tinyurl.com/33u3am95), the SEC (tinyurl.com/mxzt4mvw) and the FBI (tinyurl.com/3ta7mseb).

Regular readers know that I'm a fan of FINRA as a solid, unbiased resource of investor education. Take a little time to look at FINRA's other resources, such as how to identify imposter investment scams (tinyurl.com/2vubj8jz) and how to protect your money (tinyurl.com/bdf9jd3t).

And, as always, let me know what's on your mind (readers@juliejason.com). What questions do you have that we can address together in this column?

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Numerous changes to retirement accounts have come through two SECURE Acts, which took effect in 2020 and 2022. Yet one thing has remained constant: the age eligibility for making a tax-free withdrawal from an IRA that is paid directly to a qualified charity.

Called a QCD, or qualified charitable distribution, the IRA owner must be at least age 70 1/2 at the time of the QCD withdrawal -- see IRS Publication 590-B (tinyurl.com/577djj2n). Age 70 1/2 used to be the age for starting required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts, but that age requirement has been climbing since 2019, from 70 1/2 to 72 to the current age of 73 (with 75 set to arrive within the next decade).

A reader who inherited an IRA from someone well over 70 1/2 who had been taking QCDs (and RMDs) pushes the age question a little further. "Henry" wants to know if he can take QCDs from the IRA he inherited, even though he himself is under age 70 1/2. When he wrote to me, Henry pointed out that he did some research on his question and remarked: "I'm not finding any exceptions in IRS literature to the age rule."

Henry is right about the lack of exceptions.

IRS Notice 2007-7 supports the conclusion that QCD age 70 1/2 applies to beneficiaries of inherited IRAs (tinyurl.com/4hpf2kxa). Question 37 in the notice deals directly with Henry's situation: "Is the exclusion for qualified charitable distributions available for distributions from an IRA maintained for a beneficiary if the beneficiary has attained age 70 1/2 before the distribution is made?"

The answer? "Yes. The exclusion from gross income for qualified charitable distributions is available for distributions from an IRA maintained for the benefit of a beneficiary after the death of the IRA owner if the beneficiary has attained age 70 1/2 before the distribution is made."

Henry will need to wait until he is over 70 1/2 before he can take a QCD as the IRA beneficiary. That's too bad, since Henry does need to take RMDs from the inherited IRA, which trigger income taxes.

With no QCD available to him until he is QCD age, he does have other options to soften the tax bite while contributing to charity. For example, he can make a charitable contribution by writing a check to a charity using non-IRA money.

The tax savings won't be quite as large as a full offset that QCDs offer -- that is, if your RMD is $10,000 and your QCD is $10,000, your tax on the RMD is zero. If you can't do a QCD but instead donate $10,000 to charity from a non-IRA account, you would qualify for a charitable tax deduction, but the amount of the deduction would depend on your tax situation.

To get a sense of what that deduction would be in your situation, experiment with the Charitable Giving Tax Savings Calculator online at tinyurl.com/2xuethnz. The calculator is a tool offered by Fidelity Charitable.

Before leaving the topic of QCDs, there is a change in the maximum that can be donated to charity through a QCD. Starting in 2024, the maximum that can qualify for a QCD ($100,000) will increase annually. For 2024, the limit is $105,000 (tinyurl.com/3s4w73tb). Note that each spouse can do his or her own QCD, provided the spouse meets the other requirements, including being 70 1/2 or older.

As always, I caution you that while we can talk about general concepts in this column, you need to visit with your accountant or tax adviser before taking any action on RMDs, QCDs, charitable gifting or taxes. These decisions will be personal to you, based on your unique circumstances.

If you have topic ideas or questions that I can address in this column, I encourage you to write to me at readers@juliejason.com. It's always good to hear from you.

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If you have a My Social Security online account, there is a change coming to the way you log in.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced in July that customers who created an online account (e.g., a My Social Security account) "before September 18, 2021, will soon be required to transition to a Login.gov account to continue access to their online services" (tinyurl.com/3p7rekud).

The change is being made to "simplify your sign-in experience and align with federal authentication standards," Dawn Bystry, associate commissioner in the Office of Strategic and Digital Communications, wrote in a blog on the SSA website (tinyurl.com/4h787bmm).

Bystry added that in the "near future," all users will "need to have an account with one of our two Credential Service Providers (CSP) -- Login.gov or ID.me" in order to access an SSA personal account.

With an SSA online account, users can manage the benefits they receive, get an estimate of future benefits, request a replacement Social Security card, check the status of an application, set up or change direct deposit and, if they choose, get available notices online instead of by mail.

If you are unfamiliar with Login.gov, it is an official website of the U.S. General Services Administration and provides a secure service used to sign in to participating government agencies. Once you have established a Login.gov account, you can use it to access any agency that partners with Login.gov (tinyurl.com/ykkd7ftx). Among those using the service are USAJOBS (U.S. Office of Personnel Management) and the Small Business Administration.

ID.me is a "next-generation digital identity network that simplifies how individuals securely prove their identity online," according to the ID.me website (tinyurl.com/5zufxyd9), which also notes that it is used by 16 federal agencies. The IRS uses ID.me for its online accounts for individuals, businesses and tax professionals (tinyurl.com/4xxk458u).

The SSA notes that if you already have an existing Login.gov or ID.me account, you do not need to create a new one.

As an example, if you do not have a Login.gov account and decide that is the option you want to use, you can transition your Social Security account by signing in with your Social Security username. You will then see online instructions with details on how to log in with Login.gov (if you already have an account) or how to create a new account using Login.gov.

Note that Login.gov requires another authentication method (known as multifactor authentication, or MFA) along with a password to access your account. (ID.me also has MFA.) According to Login.gov, "We use MFA as an added layer of protection to secure your information." You can review the details at tinyurl.com/47m99de3.

Among the authentication options are face or touch unlock (described as "using a scan of your face or fingerprint, entering your PIN or pattern, or scanning a QR code"), a security key ("a physical device that you can connect to your computer or mobile device to add an extra layer of protection to your Login.gov account") and a text message or phone call, with which you will receive a unique one-time code. Login.gov describes text messages and phone calls as convenient, but adds that they are "extremely vulnerable to theft, hackers, and other attacks."

Login.gov also encourages a person to set up a second MFA option in case he or she loses access to a primary authentication (for example, you lose your cellphone).

Once you have successfully created a new Login.gov account, you will be notified that your existing SSA account will be linked to Login.gov. Going forward, you will use your Login.gov account to sign into your SSA account.

If you have difficulties using Login.gov, the service offers customer phone and chat support 24 hours a day at tinyurl.com/y7r3bs85. You can access ID.me's help center at tinyurl.com/6r83jc34.

More details on how to transition your SSA account are available at tinyurl.com/d6nd7756. If you have an SSA account, take the time to log in soon and, if needed, transfer it over to the new login method.

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