Reading the Fine Print

 

Sometimes it seems that "everyone" is trying to coerce you into wrong decisions, scam you out of money, fool you into thinking you have no alternatives… It is TIRING!

 

Most of us really don't have any major problems with comprehension, and many of us are just looking to be treated fairly, the same way we prefer to treat those around us. (Okay, I admit, some do look to get away with whatever they can, but not most.)

 

I get calls daily, sometimes more than once a day, telling me that "your car warranty has expired…" Heck, I haven't owned a car in at least eight years! And oh my goodness, heaven help us if we dare to click on a Facebook ad, we'll get put on every possible email list and then some… and too often if you try to make a purchase you either never see the product or it winds up that your charge card is used multiple times WITHOUT your approval.

 

I realize that there have always been scammers and con artists, but lately it seems to be everywhere you turn. Even sitting at your own computers in your own home is risky — did you ever get one of those authentic looking popups saying your computer is infected and just click here to clean? DON'T! And I can pretty much guarantee that no one in Nigeria is going to offer you millions if you give them your bank account number.

 

There are so many DON'Ts these days. DON'T push any buttons to remove yourself from a call list! DON'T store your credit card numbers on your computer! DON'T correct the info someone allegedly has and has to verify before sending you that "surprise"! DON'T dial back that phone number from the most recent nuisance call – you'll either negate that Do Not Call rule or you won't even reach the scammer and find they have spoofed some innocent's phone number. And definitely DON'T run to buy that gift card to send so that your phone doesn't get shut off or some such nonsense.

 

Aren't times tough enough without having to dodge every scam thrown your way? Most people are just trying to survive, pay their bills, stay healthy, and spend time with family. It is downright annoying when you receive an onslaught of email messages from your "favorite" social media site saying that they received "your" request to change your password, and you click each email with "No that wasn't me", and yet they keep on coming. And it is highly unlikely that your local State Police Department is selling you raffle tickets over the phone.

 

One very, very cruel hoax that is commonly pulled on the elderly is a phone call about a "grandchild" in trouble… car accident, jail, stranded in a strange country. The caller will pull as much information together as possible to totally frighten the loving grandparent and manages to con them into giving financial info over the phone. Meanwhile the grandchild is safe and unaware that dear old Grannie is now shaken to the core and totally ripped off of her savings. How can people be so heartless?

 

Another popular scam is when you go to sell something online. The potential buyer, usually long distance (allegedly) offers to mail you a check, and they do, but somehow they have included extra so that you can afford the shipping and then you will reimburse the excess. So in good faith you deposit the check, give it a day or so to "clear" and then send the overpayment by Western Union while you wait for delivery instructions. But then, lo and behold, the original check is pulled out of your account! But you are still out of the money you "refunded". Note that your bank will hold a check for so many days before it is permanently deposited in your bank account, find out how long.

 

Do yourself a favor and learn about Common Scams and ways to protect yourself from sites such as https://www.usa.gov/common-scams-frauds and https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scam. It can be a cold cruel world out there, arm yourself with knowledge.

 

And by the way, the IRS is NOT going to call you on the phone about your overdue payment!

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WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?!

 

All the junk e-mail we get sometimes crosses the line of ridiculous offers. It is a well-known fact that SOME of the links we get in junk e-mail might be dangerous – possibly to malware or even just getting your name/e-mail on yet another junk mail list. And yes, it is very annoying.

 

But then… then you have the totally obscene junk e-mail with, of course, links to click on. These are the ones that are peppered with 4-letter profanities in the heading, or vulgar description of body parts and what "someone" would like to do with said body parts. Or there will be an offer to help make your "appendage" sooo much bigger!

 

Call me naïve but I don't see the point in many of these emails. And even if I weren't already wary of clicking on unknown links, I would NEVER, EVER click on links in one of these uninvited and unwelcome solicitations — and I am sure that I am far from the only person wary of such unknown links.

 

So, what is the purpose, really, of these e-mails? Is someone somehow getting their jollies from sending such obvious filth to unsuspecting individuals. I'm not stupid enough to believe these are offensive to everyone or gullible enough to think that NO ONE ever clicks on these, but I honestly can't see how anyone can truly expect a high rate of success with such emails?

 

By the way, if you hover your cursor (on your computer) over these links you will often see the places you would be sent to — just DON'T click on it. Many of the alleged emails are disguised to bring you to unsavory URLs. So even IF they seem to have authentic and recognizable logos, chances are the sites are as phony as that 15-inch long ### they are promising you!

 

Even if you get a sudden e-mail about winning a contest you've never entered, be very wary. Don't click on links. Don't fill in your personal information. Don't download mysterious offers. Just delete, delete, delete if you don't recognize the sender, if you find a phony link, if it's smut, or if you have to download your "offer" just to find out what it is.

 

It's sad, but it is so much better to be cynical and protect yourself and your computer.

Taking Advantage

Why is it when people are vulnerable there always seems to be someone willing to take advantage of them?

The last few months many people have been out of work using home computers to keep up with school, family and, if they are the lucky few who could work from home, their office. Hackers are finding ways to download invasive software, sending fraudulent emails, answer phished phone numbers and make scammed phone calls. It’s dismaying at a time when people should be helping one another, some just take advantage.

Scammers will make you think they are authentic and really just being helpful — maybe they’re offering to help you lower your interest rates, what better time to wave that juicy tidbit in front of folks than when they are short on cash and many really do have the bills piling up. Seniors are especially vulnerable to scammers because they are used to getting contacted from insurance plans, Medicare and Social Security; but NONE of those entities will ask for personal information like social security numbers or passwords.

Then we have the hackers who know enough to download software and steal sensitive information from your computer or even use your own computer to make purchases. Sometimes they call from a “computer company” claiming that your machine is corrupted and they need to fix it; don’t accept a story like that, if there really is a problem you make the contact (in person if possible). If you believe a program is being downloaded, immediately disconnect your computer from the internet completely and DELETE any program that has been downloaded – use the remove/uninstall program feature.

Many financial institutions and some stores who offer credit cards have made provisions to help protect you in the case that someone is fraudulently using your credit to purchase things like e-gift cards or transfer bank funds. Ask about double verification when you sign in to your bank — after entering your log-in and password (never store sensitive passwords on your computer) they will send your mobile phone a text message with a code which you will need to enter before continuing (one method). Be sure to set “alerts” on every bank account or store credit account, this will cause a message to be sent to your phone and/or e-mail as soon as a transaction takes place; you can usually set the limit to be notified (make it LOW).

Don’t be embarrassed IF you do get scammed, almost everyone falls for something shady — report it to the authorities (police, FTC, banks, stores, etc.) immediately. Contact banking institutions to ask if you could STOP transactions from going through (may need to pay a fee). Be sure to keep any correspondence (emails, text messages and the like) and copy phone numbers (although they might not be authentic) related to the scam. Unfortunately if you do lose money, it is NO longer deductible on your tax forms.

Some helpful advice to avoid fraud and scams:

 BBB Tips: 10 Steps toAvoid Scams

 Avoiding Scams 101 | FTC ConsumerInformation

 Top 10 Scams and Frauds You Can Avoid –AARP

 Protect yourself from phishing scams