MAY 2007
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
BEWARE OF TRAVELING CON ARTISTS !!
Traveling con artists can be in your area. “Travelers” arrive every spring and typically prey on elderly homeowners with door-to-door roofing, paving and other scams, intimidating the consumers into paying thousands of dollars for poor quality work. There is absolutely no reason to let strangers in your home. Travelers often scope out the elderly at grocery stores, midweek, daytime hours, and then follow them home. Do not deal with anyone, male or female who arrives at your door after you have just returned home. Also, female travelers often “soften up” the victim first by stating that their children need a drink or a bathroom.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE "TRAVELERS"
* They peddle roofing, paving, and other repair work door-to-door.
* They drive new pick-up trucks with typically out-of-state license plates.
* They prey on the elderly using friendly, but high-pressure tactics.
* They may say they have material left over from a previous job, or insist they did work for you before and need to “finish the job.”
* They quote bargain prices, but demand much more after the job.
* They do poor quality work -- or little or no work at all.
TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM "TRAVELER" FRAUD
* Don’t do business with door-to-door contractors.
* Get at least three bids on work, and don’t always choose the lowest.
* Insist on a written contract and don’t be pressured into paying more.
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
MARCH 2007
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
STOP SELLING MY NAME !!
One of the best ways to protect yourself from identity theft and telemarketing fraud is to stop businesses and charities from selling your name. To remove your name from most marketing lists, follow this checklist:
1. Don't play direct mail sweepstakes or talk to telemarketers.
2. Register your telephone number(s) with the National 'DO NOT CALL' Registry. Their website address is www.ftc.gov/donotcall. You may also register by calling 1-888-382-1222. You must re-register your telephone number(s) every five years.
3. Tell telephone companies and other with whom yo do business to put your telephone number on their 'DO NOT CALL' lists; it's your right under federal law.
4. You can 'OPT OUT' of unsolicited credit card applications from the three credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) at www.optoutprescreen.com or by calling 1-888-567-8688. Be advised that you will be required to provide your Social Security number. Click on the links below for the three credit major reporting agencies:
5. Call the customer service department of your current credit card companies and tell them that you wish to 'Opt Out' of their marketing programs including their 'convenience checks'.
7. Make an annual charitable giving plan and give to just a few charities once a year. Request that your name not be shared with other origanizations. Ask all other charitable solicitors to remove your name from their mailing lists.
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
JANUARY 2007
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
TOP 10 WAYS TO PREVENT FRAUD IN 2007
10. Don't withdraw or wire money at the suggestion of a stranger who claims you've won the lottery, found a lot of money or wanting help distributing money to charity.
9. Only hire licensed contractors that you've checked out with the Better Business Bureau and never do business with door-to-door contractors or those asking for money in advance.
8. Have Social Security and other benefit checks direct deposited in your bank account, mail outgoing checks from inside the post office or bank 'on-line'; have new boxes of checks sent to your bank rather than to your home and us a cross-cut paper shredder to destroy any documents that have your personal identification on them.
7. Don't keep your purse, wallet, checkbook, laptop computer or other identifying information in your car and keep your car locked at all times.
6. Don't carry your Social Security card or checkbook in public and keep your wallet in a hidden or secure pouch - not in your purse.
5. Get your free credit report every year from all three credit bureaus (www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228) and consider putting a 'Security Freeze' on your credit file. (For more information, go to www.denverda.org.)
4. Never sign legal papers, make an investment or sign mortgage documents without reading and understanding what you're signing - no matter how much you know or trust someone. Get a second or third opinion from a banker, attorney, Certified Public Accountant or other trusted advisor.
3. Choose your Power of Attorney with care and set up a system of 'checks and balances' so no one person has complete control.
2. Don't talk to strangers on the phone, at your door or on the street.
1. If in doubt, call the Carver County Attorney's Fraud Line - and talk to a live person !!
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
DECEMBER 2006
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
International Lottery Schemes
WATCH OUT FOR THIS SCAM!
The Denver District Attorney’s office has received several reports of mailings announcing “winners” in lotteries from all over the world. Included in the letter is usually a check “to pay for your tax and clearance fee.” They ask you to deposit the check in your bank account, and then wire the funds to your “North American Agent” – usually in Canada. Although the check may appear to be from a legitimate American bank, it is actually a counterfeit or fake check. If you withdraw funds from the fake check, you will be on the hook for the entire amount you wired.
Generally, sending international lottery material through the mail or Internet is prohibited by federal law. International lottery schemes have cost Coloradoans millions of dollars. If you receive a letter, e-mail, or phone call that claims you’ve won an international lottery, IT IS A SCAM! Do not send any money or verify any personal financial information such as bank or credit card account numbers. Hang up, delete the e-mail, or throw the mailing away! If this can happen in Denver and Colorado, you know it can happen in Carver County and Minnesota.
To read the full alert on International Lottery Schemes Blanket Denver Metro Area, go to www.denverda.org and click on Consumer Alerts.
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
NOVEMBER 2006
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
DON'T GET CAUGHT PHISHING
Attempts to steal your sensitive information are called "Phishing," and it is very prevalent. The sender goes “fishing” for your information by setting up a phony website at which you are asked to supply such information as account numbers, passwords, pin numbers, Social Security Numbers, etc. Phishing is attempted by e-mail and telephone.
The Carver County Attorney is especially concerned about two recent phishing scams:
The Social Security Administration has issued a special alert about an e-mail that discusses proposed SSA benefits increases for 2007. The e-mail threatens the suspension of Social Security benefits if personal information is not immediately provided on the supplied phony web link. To review the SSA alert, go to: www.socialsecurity.gov and click on the alert "Public warned about E-mail scam linked to cost-of-living update."
E-mails purportedly from amazon.com, e-Bay, PayPal, etc. list an item you ordered. The e-mail further provides the amount being charged to your credit card, as well as an opportunity to cancel on a supplied link or form if you did not place the order. This scam has been very lucrative as victims believed someone had used their information to order an item and they simply wanted to stop it - only in canceling the order, did they become victimized!
To protect yourself:
Don’t panic. The sender wants you to respond without thinking.
Never respond to e-mails or callers asking you to submit personal data.
If in doubt, call us at the Carver County Attorney’s Fraud Line, 952-361-1402.
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
SEPTEMBER 2006
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
What You Need To Know
About Sweepstakes
Don’t Pay to Win
Buying magazines and other products does not increase your chances of winning. Never pay taxes or fees to receive your winnings.
Participating in Prize Promotions Will Put Your Name on Lists
Con artists buy and sell leads on people who play sweepstakes. If you play, your name may appear on “sucker” or “mooch” lists and you’ll be targeted for fraud. To reduce your risk for fraud, stop playing sweepstakes and don’t talk to telemarketers – it’s that simple!
Reduce Sweepstakes and Other Junk Mail/E-mail
Don’t Play Canadian and Out-of-State Lotteries
It’s illegal under federal law to sell and purchase foreign lotteries in the U.S. It is also illegal to sell and purchase lottery products over state lines.
Don’t Fall for Mailings or Callers which Appear Official
Promoters use mailings with pseudo government logos and official looking statements to persuade you that the promotions are legitimate. Telemarketers will lie and claim to be a government official or attorney as well.
Keep Credit Card, Bank and Personal Information to Yourself
Never give your credit card number, bank account information, or social security number to anyone who calls or e-mails you, especially if it is to verify your eligibility or to “deposit” your winnings into your account.
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
AUGUST 2006
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
Preventing Caregiver Exploitation
Older adults are living longer than ever. This longevity is unfortunately increasing the incidence of caregiver financial exploitation. Most cases involve family members or trusted associates and can include: taking money or property; forging an older person's signature; and getting an older person to sign a deed or will through deception or coercion.
The Carver County Attorney’s Office suggests doing your estate planning early. If putting adult children in charge of an estate is a problem, consider hiring a third party - an attorney or a CPA - who is not emotionally attached. Other preventative steps include:
Using direct deposit for Social Security checks and retirement benefits.
Keeping debit/credit cards, checkbooks and other valuables hidden if you have regular visitors to your home or apartment.
Reviewing your financial statements every month – especially if someone is paying your bills and managing your accounts.
Choosing your Power of Attorney with care and setting up a system of checks and balances so no one person has complete control.
Being careful about letting family, friends or tenants live in your house.
Treating home care workers like employees, not friends.
Maintaining contact with family, friends, and neighbors.
The more active you are, the less likely you are to be exploited
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
JULY 2006
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
Protecting Your Home & Car From Burglars
With this summer’s heat, police are reporting an increase in home and car burglaries due to open and unlocked windows, doors and garage doors.
HOME PROTECTION TIPS:
Keep doors, including the garage door, locked at all times - even when you are home or working in the yard.
Install security doors with metal grillwork and key locks.
Don’t hide keys under the doormat or rocks.
Secure sliding glass doors with anti-lift devices.
Close and lock first floor windows at night and whenever you are gone.
Keep the outside well-lit, including the garage and driveway with motion detector lights and automatic dusk-to-dawn timers.
Use electric timers to turn on inside lights at night.
Use visible burglar alarm, neighborhood watch, or beware of dog decals on first floor windows.
VEHICLE PROTECTION TIPS:
Lock your car – 50% of stolen cars are unlocked.
Take your keys with you and never hide a second set of keys in the car.
Park in well-lighted areas. If you have a garage, use it.
Never leave the car running and unattended.
Don’t keep purses, checkbooks, briefcases, laptops, etc. in plain view.
Carry your registration and insurance card in your wallet, not in the car – once they have your address, thieves can take your garage door opener (and even keys found in cars) and let themselves into your home.
Consider investing in a car security alarm and/or anti-theft device.
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
JUNE 2006
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
Beware Medicare Telephone Scams
The Carver County Attorney’s Office is aware of reports from senior citizens who were called by the “National Medical Office.” The telemarketers insisted that the seniors needed new ‘verification card numbers’ from Medicare, and then asked the seniors to disclose their checking account information. According to complaints received by Medicare, the bank account numbers are used to electronically withdraw money from consumers’ accounts.
The phone number given by the company is identified with a P.O. Box in Champlain, NY on the Canadian border. According to the Buffalo Better Business Bureau, the company has an unsatisfactory rating due to unanswered complaints.
TIPS TO PROTECT AGAINST MEDICARE SCAMS
No one can come into your house uninvited.
No one can ask you for personal information during marketing activities.
Never give out your Medicare number (social security number) and personal financial numbers to anyone contacting you.
Legitimate Medicare drug plans will not ask for payment over the telephone or the Internet. They must send a monthly bill.
Whenever you have a question or concern about any activity regarding Medicare, call 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379).
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
MAY 2006
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
The National Fraud Information Center/Internet Fraud Watch reports that losses from telemarketing fraud rose 47% in 2005 and Internet fraud losses more than doubled.
Wire transfers (i.e., Western Union) have become the most common way scammers get money from victims, especially: fake checks received in the mail, lotteries, advance fee loans, sweepstakes, and Nigerian money offers. “Any request to wire money should set off alarm bells,” said the Carver County Attorney. “If that’s part of the deal, it’s a scam.”
Nigerian money offers were the most expensive Internet scam at a $7,000.00 average loss per victim. Foreign con artists promise to share their fortunes if you agree to transfer the funds to your bank for safekeeping. These fortunes never, ever exist.
Complaints of phony scholarships and grants soared in 2005. Crooks pretending to represent the U.S. government falsely promise victims free money in exchange for processing fees.
Phishing – when ID thieves trick people into revealing bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, etc. through e-mails or phone calls – showed the strongest increase in fraud among older adults. Magazine sales and sweepstakes scams also showed an increase among older victims.
TO PREVENT FRAUD
Don’t believe promises of easy money
Don’t give out personal info to anyone calling or e-mailing you
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
APRIL 2006
Fraud Alert!
From the Office of The Carver County Attorney
Whether approached on the street, at my home or by telephone, do not talk to strangers.
When making major financial decisions, get several opinions from trusted family members and advisors.
No matter how well you know or trust someone, do not sign legal papers or make an investment that you don't understand or that seems unusual without first checking it out.
Don't carry your Social Security card or checkbook in public; keep my wallet in your front pocket or a hidden/secure pouch.
Do not keep my purse, checkbook, briefcase, laptop or other personal/financial information in your car.
Mail checks inside the Post Office, have your new box of checks sent to your bank/credit union and shred all financial documents with a cross-shredder.
Hire only licensed contractors that you have checked out with the Better Business Bureau and do not do business with door-to-door solicitors or those asking for allot of money in advance.
Do not withdraw money from my bank at the suggestion of a stranger who claims that you have won the lottery, found allot of money or someone claiming to be a bank official.
For Assistance, Please Call the
Carver County Attorney's Office Fraud Line
(952) 361-1402
