I will never forget a news story I did a few years back with a retiree who fell for a telephone scam and subsequently lost a large chuck of his savings. We’re talking thousands and thousands of dollars. My heart broke for him. He thought he was “investing” in a company that would help him double what he had shelled out. Alas, he became another statistic, another victim of some selfish “business owner.” The kind of greedy low-life that targets the elderly and preys on the financially vulnerable… the kind of individual that we should all be aware of.
A new study reveals that email phishing, postal, and telephone scams, which have already made the rounds, are back on the rise, and we all need to be reminded that what was old can easily become new again. Even if you think: “It will never happen to me or I’ll never fall for a scam,” ask yourself: what about your parents, your grandparents or your friends… are they safe?
Personally, I don’t think anyone is safe. After all, it has been proven that scams most people think no longer existed can resurface out of nowhere, and they end of hurting people who didn’t hear about them the first time around.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself to avoid becoming a victim:
Have I registered my phone number on the Do Not Call list?
Do I still shred all items containing personal information before discarding them in the trash?
Do I check out emails first before clicking on links that ask for personal information?
Am I careful about how much information I provide over the phone and to whom I give it?
When was the last time I ordered and reviewed my free annual credit report?
Do I thoroughly review my bank and credit card statements every month, checking for unauthorized charges or withdrawals?
We should really be asking ourselves these questions on a regular basis, but it’s easy to forget. Write yourself a reminder if you have to, it’s a quick and easy way to help you avoid the hassle of becoming a scam victim.