Is there a conversation of finances today that does not include the words “fraud” or “scam”?
Whether the discussion is in the corporate boardroom or your living room, the words still bite the same. Scam artists around the globe defraud millions of people each year. Billions of dollars are lost to con artists who have learned their craft very well, through telemarketing scams, mail fraud, home repair fraud and credit scams.
You’ve worked hard. Now, you should put equally focused thought into protecting you and your families. How does one keep others from getting personal information?
Stop giving it to them.
Con artists, scammers and jerks will enter your castle if you let them. How do they get in? You let them in. You bring them in with the mail, on the computer or through the telephone.
Think about your mail. After returning from the mailbox, check your mail to sort the legitimate from the suspicious. Mail offers often come with a promise to deliver a service or goods or sometimes very large sums of money. All you have to do to receive this amazing offer is call a telephone number and provide your Social Security number or a personal bank account number.
These offers may look authentic and even display common company logos. They are designed to fool you into giving them the key to open your personal information.
Maybe you invite them in through your computer. We’ve all received the email about a person in another country who needs a friend in America to hold several million dollars for him while waiting for a passport to arrive. Email offers are numerous today due to the number of people who own and use home computers for business and fun. The con artist hopes to target someone who is ready to earn something free; he usually asks you to provide “seed money” or “show good faith” by giving personal information.
Other popular offers are for discounted medications that promise increased cognitive function, virility, anti-aging, etc. Delete the suspicious email without opening it. You know it’s “too good to be true.” Are you willing to let someone inside your castle?
Sometimes we let them in by staying on the telephone with them longer than is reasonable. That’s when they’ve taken over the conversation and are almost inside your walls. If you do not know the caller, ask, “Who are you calling?” or “Who do you wish to speak with?” This makes them identify themselves. If you do not receive a satisfactory response, hang up. Don’t allow yourself to be drawn into conversations with strangers about business offers or vacation packages that require you to reveal your name, address, Social Security number or bank account information.
Often con artists come to the castle door. A person at your home should be there for a legitimate reason. If it’s a stranger, be cautious and establish the person’s identity. If the person says he or she is a company representative, ask for identification, and call the company to verify. If the person produces identification but you still are not sure of the validity of the visit, telephone his or her business office for confirmation. If you still feel uncomfortable, do not open the door, and ask the person to return in 30 minutes. This will allow you time to contact a friend or relative to be present when the individual returns.
Face to face, it’s easier for that person to pressure you into giving information or signing something that will harm you. If someone does not comply with your request, call the police.
Common fraud schemes are very inviting and usually offer something too good to be true. And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Your home is your castle. Protect it well.
Greg Bettis is a detective with the Holly Springs Police Department.
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