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YOU LOSE, THEY WIN

By

Dee Taylor

There are 200,000 seniors in the Dallas metroplex and every scam artist knows you are here. The S.A.L.T. Council meets once a month with concerned seniors to help get the word out about all the scams going on in our area. This lowlife’s goal is to target YOU and take what is yours. They do this for a livelihood and you will never be sharp enough to know when you encounter one, because they are the best at what they do….steal from seniors. When this happens, you lose and they win……everything you own goes, whether it is money, credit cards, bank accounts, even things you value or your self-respect leaving you to wonder, "How did I let this happen to me?" Think I am kidding? Read on.

In the winter and summer months we must watch for car thieves. They are watching to see when you are home. They sneak into our garages and sometimes just take the car and sometimes just what is in it. So, don’t leave those garage doors open.

When Spring comes and we are out using shopping carts ladies, don’t place your purse in the cart or anything you value for that matter. If a stranger approaches you and asks you a question, immediately latch onto your purse, because another stranger may be working behind you to steal your purse with your life’s savings in it. Remember they want your savings and your I.D. …that is why they want your purse with everything in it. (You haven’t had trouble until one of these thieves steals your ID and messes up your life with all the credit card and banking tricks they know.) If this happens to you, don’t struggle with the thief. Your property can be replaced but you can’t. Instead go quickly to the store manager and report the incident. They will help you.

If you are solicited at your front door to have home repairs done, no matter how large or small…don’t do it. Call a reputable repairman in your local yellow pages instead. Even then, when they are working in your home, check all your doors and windows after they leave to see if they are locked. They can always unlatch a side door or window to invade your home at another time. It happens all the time, so don’t be foolish and trust anyone, anytime.

These are the current money scams we know about and every year, thousands get conned. Don’t you be one of them. Just say, "NO" AND HANG UP THE PHONE OR SHUT THE DOOR IN THEIR FACE. Briefly here is how to protect your bank account from cheats.

1. Keep in mind modern day hucksters are armed with state of the art tools, meaning they know how to use the internet to their advantage. Right now some unscrupulous telemarketers have promised consumers that if they buy magazine subscriptions, proceeds from the sale will be donated to recover and rescue efforts for 911. If you want to give, give only to reputable charities that you’ve heard of. If in doubt, The Better Business Bureau where you live can help you identify good ones. Otherwise, just say, "No."
2. Internet scams abound today, but phony auctions make a whopping 64 percent of all Internet con jobs according to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center. You may never receive the merchandise you pay for, so don’t do it unless you use a credit card, so you can at least get your money back if you are ripped off.
3. Keep in mind that most ID theft is not done on the Internet. Con artists count on you to give up information doing everyday activities. Remember, if something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Just say "No." Here are a couple tips to help you think about it:
   • Don’t write your driver’s license number on your checks
   .
   • Check your receipts before signing them.
   • Don’t sign receipts that are stamped with full credit card account numbers.
   • Don’t toss out bank statements without shredding them.
4. If you believe your ID has been stolen, contact credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and Trans Union and ask for a fraud alert be placed on your account. Report to all credit card companies, stores and agencies like your state motor vehicle department and the Social Security Administration.
5. Don’t sign up at places where you can win something. Your name goes on a list that gets passed around for at least 6 months.
6. DON’T GIVE MONEY TO ANYONE OVER THE PHONE EVER. Just say "No."

We come from a trusting generation, but there is no such thing as trust anymore, sadly not even with our own loved ones. I learned all these things and more at the S.A.L.T. Council meetings. If you read this article and don’t take the time to educate yourself, you will lose and they will win. The Dallas County TRIAD is presenting a Fraud Conference June 7,2002 from 8am until 12 noon at the Temple Emanu-el Tobian Hall, 8500 Hillcrest Road (corner of Hillcrest and Northwest Hwy) and you can educate yourselves about these frauds and many others. It will be well worth your time, I promise you. The speakers will be from the Postal Inspectors Office, Securities Commission, and Social Security Administration. If for some reason you learn about this Fraud Conference too late, there will be another one in September 2002, so watch for that one too.

Dee Taylor may be seen weekdays on Time Warner, Channel 14A and DCTV, Channel 15B discussing this and many other senior issues on "Sizzlin’ Seniors" produced by Prime Time Productions, Inc. a 501C3 non-profit organization. You may contact Dee at: www.sizzlinsen.org or email her at sizzlinsen@aol.com on the Internet.

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Last Updated on November 4, 2004

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