Latest Scams targeting Older Adults
Unscupulous sales agents are going door to door targeting seniors trying to sell them an "Obama Care" health insurance policy. These individuals are claiming to be with the federal government. However, the federal government DOES NOT go door to door selling anything!!
Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contributions Schemes - Prepared by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
- Do not respond to unsolicited (SPAM) e-mail.
- Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.
- Do no click on contacts within an usolicted e-mail.
- Be cautious of email claming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attacehments from known senders.
- To ensure contributions are recived and used for intended purposes, make donations direct to the known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
- Validate the legitimacy of the organization by dirctly accessing the recongnized charity or aid organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.
- Attempt to verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of the organization by using various internet-based resources, which also may assist in confirming the actual existence of the organization.
- Do NOT provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
To obtain more information on charitable contribution schemes and other types of online schemes visit Looks Too Good To Be True. If you are a victim of an online scheme, please notify IC3 by filing a complaint at Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Latest Reported Scams
U.S. Census of 2010
With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of identity theft or fraud. More than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will embark door to door to count every person in the United States. Therefore, You need to know how to tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist. BBB offers the following guidelines to follow:
- A U.S. Census worker will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag and a confidentiatlity notice.
- Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions.
- You should NEVER invite anyone (Census worker or not) into your home
- DO NOT give your social security, credit card or bank account numbers to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. Anyone asking for this information is NOT with the U.S. Census
- The Census may contact you by telephone, U.S. mail or in-person. However, they will NOT contact you by e-mail. Therefore, you should NOT open any email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.
- REMEMBER NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK YOU, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.
FOR MORE ADIVE ON AVOIDING IDENTITY THEFT AND FRAUD VISIT BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.