December 2020 Senior Newsletter

Tips to avoid being a victim

Scammers are always looking for new ways to get ahold of consumers’ financial and personal information. Use these basic tips to protect yourself and loved ones from fraud:

TIP 1 | Never give out personal or financial

information online, over the phone, or via text message. TIP 2 | Never wire money to someone you don’t know. TIP 3 | Check your credit card and bank statements frequently for errors or fraudulent charges. The sooner you spot suspicious activity, the sooner you can take steps to correct it. Scammers can strike at any time of the year, but it’s especially important to be vigilant around the holiday season. To stay on top of the most recent scams targeting seniors or to report a senior scam, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer website at www.ftc.gov.

EMERGENCY SCAMS Emergency scams or “grandparent” scams target vulnerable older adults at any time of the year, but these common senior scams may be even more rampant during the holiday season. In an emergency scam, a con artist will call or email a senior posing as a relative in distress. They may ask their target to wire them money or send other personal information. These calls can be very convincing; scammers often use social media or other methods to obtain details about their intended victim’s relatives or friends. Never send money without first confirming the details of the story with the friend or family member directly.

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