Every
year, thousands of individuals are tricked into deceptive schemes that can
wreak financial and/or emotional havoc on one’s life. These scams not only
continue during the holidays, but tend
to increase in number and intensity. To prevent individuals in the greater
Windham community from falling victim to highly motivated con artists, AARP
Maine Communications Director, Jane Margesson, along with Captain James
Boudreau of the Windham Police Department, offered a presentation at the
Windham Public Library last Thursday, December 5 at 1 p.m., informing
participants of the variety of scams that are popular today.
“There’s
nothing festive about fraud,” Margesson began. “During the holidays, scams increase,
and we are here to help older adults keep their financial futures secure.”
In
the interactive presentation, Margesson offered important information about the
various fraudulent and deceptive offers that can easily be mistaken as valid bargains.
The following are some of the more popular holiday scams:
Online
shopping safety:
“When
shopping online, use well-known sites and type in the web address yourself,
instead of clicking on a link,” Margesson advised. To do so can download unwanted
viruses or may open the door to computer hacking.
For
those who enjoy the convenience of online shopping, be sure to make the
purchases from home where the internet is secure. “Public WiFi is just that –
public! Scammers can obtain important financial information if you place orders
in public internet service spaces such as those you might find in a coffee shop
or an airport.”
Gift
Cards:
There
are also behind the scene scams that some may not have heard about. For
example, one would not necessarily be suspicious of purchasing a gift card for
their loved ones, but Margesson and Capt. Boudreau both warned that gift card
numbers can be stolen and once money is placed on those cards, the scammer will
be the one to receive the money, leaving the gift card buyer and the gift
recipient with nothing but a worthless plastic card. “Buy gift cards online
from the retailer or from the store cashier, to avoid compromised cards that
may be sitting on gift card racks. And always keep the receipt,” stated Margesson.
Genealogy
websites:
One
of the most popular and largest scams have occurred through genealogy websites.
Be very careful about any personal or financial information that is requested.
“Scammers know that genealogy research is a great way to obtain information so
beware what you share.”
Charitable
giving:
To
verify if the charity is a valid organization that will use your donation in
the way they promise, one can check with websites designed to help. Two trusted
websites for confirm the authenticity of charitable causes are: 1) Giving.org
and 2) Charitynavigator.org.
Foreign
lotteries:
It
is important to note that foreign lotteries are not legal in the United States.
Additionally, no lottery will ask a winner for “up front” money in order to
receive the winnings. “And, of course, if you didn’t enter the lottery – you
most likely didn’t win anything,” Margesson emphasized.
There
are preventative measures one can take to safeguard credit. “Turn on the
‘credit freeze’ with all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and
Transunion). It is free to turn the freeze on and off at any time.” A freeze locks
the data information until an individual gives permission for the release of
the data. Go to www.aarp.org/me
or send an email to me@aarp.org
for more information.
Shredding
important documents is another strategy to keep financial information from
being stolen. AARP Maine will be
sponsoring free shredding events again in 2019 starting in April.
Most
importantly, keep yourself informed by accessing information and resources
through either the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork and
always report suspected scams to local law enforcement.
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