The following information to avoid being a victim of a scam was obtained from the Federal Trade Commission. We are passing this important information on so as many people as possible can be informed. We have to do everything possible to help protect seniors from losing their valuable assets to scam artists that thrive on them as a target.
Scam artists use many avenues such as the phone, email, postal mail and the internet to try to trick individuals into sending them money. Because these crooks can be so clever, it is up to the individual to become knowledgeable and informed. Here are 10 things one can do to stop a scam.
1) Understand that wiring money is just like sending cash; once it is gone, you can not get it back.
2) Do not send money to someone you don’t know
3) Do not respond to messages that ask for your personal or financial information, whether the message is received as an email, phone call, a text message or an ad.
4) Do not play a foreign lottery.
5) Do not agree to deposit a check received from someone you don’t know and then wire money back, no matter how convincing the story.
6) Examine your bills and statements regularly – on paper and online.
7) In the wake of a natural disaster or another crisis, give to established charities rather than one that seems to have sprung up overnight.
8) Talk to your doctor before buying health products or signing up for medical treatments.
9) Remember that there is no such thing as a sure thing.
10) Know where an offer comes from and who you are dealing with.
For more information about these tips and others ways to protect against being scammed, visit www.OnGuardOnline.gov.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
Our bill pay services monitor bank account activity to help identify any suspicious activity and report to the proper authorities if any such activity is discovered. Please call our office to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff for more information on how we can help.