May 8, 2024

Avoiding SCAMS

Steps to Avoid Scams

DE Stand By Me (Financial Empowerment Program) produced an article in the local senior newsletter entitled “Protect Yourself from Scams.” They noted that seniors are routinely targeted; therefore, they outlined a few preventive steps for us to follow.

Block unwanted calls and text Messages: We are advised to not answer calls from unknown callers. Should this happen, hang up immediately. Scammers will often ask you to hit a button to stop the calls; however, you may be allowing the scammers back door access in ways not expected. A better response is to just hang up. Also, remember to “NOT respond to any questions, especially with the answer "Yes.” Your innocent “YES” may give unwilling consent to something you didn’t want.

Never give out personal or financial information to unexpected callers: Your account numbers, Social Security number, mother's maiden name, passwords or other identifying information should be kept confidential. It’s ONLY on a need-to-know basis. To protect your identity, you MUST protect the things that are sacred to you.

When a caller says he/she represents a company or government agency, hang up immediately and call the verified # listed on your account statement, in white pages, or on the company's website. Just a note: before a replicable company calls, the company will send a written statement addressing the item of concern.

Do NOT click on unknown links: It’s okay to open texts and emails; however, there’s danger in clicking a link without verifying the legitimacy. Before clicking the link, contact the company via the verified # NOT the # provided by the sender. Please do NOT call the number they provided OR the number on caller id.

Resist the pressure to act immediately: A replicable business will NOT pressure anyone to pay or give sensitive information over the phone. Be cautious!

Voice mail accounts should be set up with a password: Otherwise, hackers can access your phone and gain access to pertinent information.

Shred sensitive documents: Destroy deposit slips, ATM receipts, checks that are deposited through mobile banking after reconciling monthly statements. Unless monthly checking and savings account statements are needed for tax return, they can also be shredded. Signing up for eStatements through your bank gives you “access to statements online, anytime, and anywhere.”

We can block telemarketing calls by registering our numbers with the NATIONAL DO NOT CALL REGISTRY. We can register both our landline and mobile phones for free via DoNotCall.gov or call 888-382-1222.

After registering, we can expect an email with a link within 72 hours to complete the registration process. It can take up to 31 days for sales calls to stop. Being on the do not call registry list will NOT stop calls from scammers who make illegal calls – For this, call blocking may be an option. The registered telemarketers check the registry to identify which numbers are listed so they will not call. However, it does NOT block calls. Replicable businesses who violate the donot call registry are charged $50,000+ per call.



Check your credit report regularly: Via annualcreditreport.com, we can access a free credit report. Review any suspicious activity found in the report to correct the discrepancies.

Conclusion: Scammers may be pleasant, but you need to know they are out to get what they want even if that means leaving you high and dry! Let’s remember the Words of Christ. “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

Leatha Foreman 5/8/24 #1191