While scam artists are active all year round, the holidays are an especially unsafe time.According to the National Crime Prevention Council, seniors fall prey to fraud for a variety of reasons. They are generally more accessible by telephone and mail; are trusting and willing to listen; typically have limited experience with investments; and are deeply concerned with maintaining finances to last them throughout their lives. Furthermore, many older people are complacent or forgetful of details, and they may be embarrassed to admit a scam artist has drawn them in.To safeguard against financial crimes this holiday season here are tips for caregivers and their loved ones. For more information please visit AGIS.com’s Elder Fraud Section.

• Hang on to your personal information. No matter what, do not give out personal information over the phone or Internet. No legitimate company will ever ask for your social security number, driver’s license number, bank account number, passwords or mother’s maiden name. These pieces of information can be used to rob you of your hard earned money. Ask the caller (or company) to send the request through the mail and then check out the company with the Better Business Bureau.
• Use direct deposit. Your mail — both incoming and outgoing — can be vulnerable, especially during the holidays when criminal activity is heightened. If your Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks or other payments are delivered by mail to an unlocked box, you may be at risk for theft. Direct deposit eliminates the risk of lost or stolen checks, reduces fraud and gives people faster access to their money on payment day. Direct deposit also protects against identity theft. For more information about enrolling in direct deposit of your Social Security or SSI payment, call the Go Direct helpline at (800) 333-1795 or sign-up online at SSA.gov.
• Pay the safest way. When shopping online, only use a credit card as a payment option and check that the Internet connection you will be using is secure. Look for logos that state the site is secure. The beginning of the Web site address should change from http to shttp or https, indicating that the information is being encrypted — turned into code that can only be read by the seller. Your browser may also signal that the information is secure with a symbol, such as a broken key that becomes whole or a padlock that closes. Under federal law, you can dispute the charges if you don’t get what you were promised, or if the product is not delivered within the stated time period. Many credit card issuers also have a “zero liability” policy for unauthorized charges in the event your credit card number is stolen. Also you can use sites like Paypal to shop at a lot of different sites. Paypal keeps your credit card or bank information secure (the store only gets a payment, not your personal information).
• Don’t Re-enter Your Information. Once you’ve placed an order online (at say Amazon.com or Walmart.com) and you get an email stating that you need to re-enter your credit card number - don’t. No legitimate Internet seller would ever ask for your information again once your order has been placed. Alert the seller by either phone or by going through the contact information listed on their website.
• Research Charities. A lot of scam artists like to pose as charities (even legitimate charities such as police and fire fighter groups). Please verify that these groups are who they say they are. Whenever possible donate in person, rather than over the phone. A great site to research charities is Charity Navigator, put together by a non-profit organization to help evaluate and inform about the charities available.
• Keep your computer secure. Protect your computer with spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall, and keep them up to date. Go to StaySafeOnline.org and OnGuardOnline.gov to learn more about how to keep your computer secure.

Thanks to AssistGuide Information Services, www.AGIS.com, for the development of this information.

Tags: Fraud & Abuse

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 19th, 2007 at 10:40 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.