SPECIAL FROM Grandparents.com
Identity theft, imposter scams, charity scams, Medicare scams—the ways crooks have devised to bilk you out of your money seem endless. And the amount of money they take is staggering. In 2012 (the most recent statistics available) there were 16.6 million victims of identity theft alone, who suffered over $24.7 billion in financial loss, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics Identity Theft Survey. Consumers also reported over $223 million in losses between 2012 until May 31, 2014 from imposter scams (thieves pretending to be everything from a grandchild who needs money, to a telemarketer saying you've won a prize), according to the Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency.
"Imposter scams and identity theft are the most reported crimes to the FTC," says Lisa Schifferle, an attorney in the consumer and education division of the FTC. "These scams cut across all age groups." Contrary to what you may have heard, "older adults don't tend to be victimized at any higher rates that other groups," says Schifferle. However, older adults may feel like they are being rude or disrespectful by getting off the phone when getting a scam call, which could make you more of a target..
How do you protect yourself? We've highlighted seven of the most common scams and tell you what you should watch out for.
1. Identity theft.
Identity theft is so widespread you probably know someone who it has happened to, maybe even yourself. With identity theft, the thief steals your personal information, credit card number, ATM number or other information through a variety of ways. They use your information to buy goods and services, open new credit cards or take money out of your account. "With identity theft there aren't many reg flag warnings until it happens," says Schifferle. "When it does, you'll see charges you didn't expect on your bills, or get a bill in someone else's name." Identity theft can wreak havoc on your credit rating, and be a real headache to clear up with your bank and credit card companies.
Identity theft is so widespread you probably know someone who it has happened to, maybe even yourself. With identity theft, the thief steals your personal information, credit card number, ATM number or other information through a variety of ways. They use your information to buy goods and services, open new credit cards or take money out of your account. "With identity theft there aren't many reg flag warnings until it happens," says Schifferle. "When it does, you'll see charges you didn't expect on your bills, or get a bill in someone else's name." Identity theft can wreak havoc on your credit rating, and be a real headache to clear up with your bank and credit card companies.
Protect yourself: It's always best to protect personal information by shredding mail and documents you don't need. Since so much of identity theft is internet-based, make sure your virus software is up to date on your computer. When it comes to passwords, it may be easier to have one password for all your online accounts, but it's safer to have different passwords for every account. "Go over all charges on your credit card and bank statements every month, and don't let mail pile up," says Schifferle. And if you do see charges that don't make sense, call the company or your bank as soon as possible to alert them. You can also go to idtheft.gov to find out about setting up a fraud alert for your accounts and getting a copy of your most recent credit report. more
No comments:
Post a Comment