One of these links if it was live would take you to a legitimate web page, and the other would take you to a scammers page. Can you see the difference? Be careful out there.
I AM A SONIC BOOMER, NOT A SENIOR... In this blog, I am writing to and for those who believe that the Boomers will change what the word Senior means. I also believe that Boomers will change what retirement means in our society. The blog is also for those who are interested in what life after retirement may look like for them. In this blog, I highlight and write about issues that I believe to be important both for Seniors and working Boomers.
Friday, January 19, 2024
Friday, June 9, 2023
Robo Calls
Many scammers rely on Robocalls to scam their victims. Robocalls are pre-recorded calls that are made using an automated system. Unfortunately, they are often used for fraudulent purposes, including investment and pension scams. Here are some ways to protect yourself from robocall scams:
If you receive a call from a number you do not recognize, let it go to voicemail. Do not answer calls from unknown numbers. Legitimate callers will often leave a message, whereas robocalls typically will not.
If you answer a call and suspect it is a robocall, hang up immediately. Do not press any buttons or engage with the caller, as this could lead to further harassment or scams.
Consider using call-blocking software or apps that can help to identify and block known robocallers.
In some countries, such as the United States, you can register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry. This can help to reduce the number of telemarketing and robocalls you receive.
If you receive a robocall scam, report it to the relevant regulatory body or law enforcement agency. This can help to identify and shut down the scammers and prevent others from falling victim to the same scam.
Remember, legitimate organizations will not contact you via robocalls to solicit investments or pensions. If you receive such a call, it is likely a scam, and you should take steps to protect yourself.
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Investment and Pension Scams
Investment scams usually involve someone unexpectedly calling and inviting you to invest quickly in a scheme with very attractive returns and low risk.
They often add pressure by making it a ‘limited-time offer’ so that they tempt you into a quick decision.
They also use authentic-looking paperwork.
How does it work?
Scammers usually promise to help you ‘unlock’ your pension by transferring money to a ‘different pension scheme.
The pension scheme doesn’t exist. It is just a way for scammers to steal your money.
They targeted retirees and people nearing retirement because they’re able to access enormous sums of money.
How do I protect myself?
Investment and pension scams are unfortunately quite common, and they can be very damaging to those who fall victim to them. Here are some ways to protect yourself:
Be cautious of unsolicited calls, emails, and messages because scammers often use cold-calling or unsolicited emails and messages to contact potential victims.
If someone contacts you out of the blue with a too-good-to-be-true investment opportunity or pension scheme, it is likely a scam.
Be wary of such approaches and always double-check the legitimacy of the organization or individual contacting you.
Before investing, do a thorough background check of the organization or individual offering the investment or pension scheme by researching the organization and individual.
As part of your research, check if they registered with regulatory bodies such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in your country.
Also, try to find independent reviews or opinions about the organization or individual from reliable sources.
Always read the investment or pension scheme documents carefully, and make sure you understand the terms and conditions. Make sure you check the investment or pension scheme details. Look out for any unusual or confusing clauses and ask questions if something is unclear.
Scammers may use high-pressure tactics to convince you to invest quickly or offer incentives. If you feel rushed or pressured to decide, it’s usually a red flag. Beware of high-pressure tactics.
Get professional advice: Consider seeking the advice of a financial advisor or accountant before making any investment or pension decisions. They can help you understand the risks and benefits and provide guidance on whether an investment or pension scheme is legitimate and suitable for your needs.
If you suspect that an investment or pension has targeted you in a scam, report it immediately to the relevant regulatory body or law enforcement agency. By reporting suspicious activity, you can help to prevent others from falling victim to the same scam.
Always take the time to make proper checks before investing your money.
Check all names and contact details against the Financial Conduct Authority’s Register to make sure you’re dealing with a genuine person and firm.
Never share your investment, pension, or personal details with someone you are unsure about.
Sunday, July 17, 2022
Frauds and Scams 1
Summertime and the living is easy and the scammers are out to get you. Seniors lose more than $3 billion to fraud each year. One of our most popular workshops is about scams and frauds. If you haven’t yet been approached by a scammer, you could face a scheme in the coming years. Sometimes family members, especially relatives caring for the elderly, are even the ones behind the attack. Some of the most common senior scams include:
1.
Charity scams.
2.
Funeral scams.
3.
Government imposter scams.
4.
Grandparent scams.
5.
Internet scams.
6.
Investment scams.
7.
Medicare scams.
8.
Reverse mortgage scams.
9.
Romance scams.
10. Sweepstakes scams.
Here’s a breakdown of how these elderly scams work, along
with what to do to avoid falling prey to an attack.
Charity Scams
If there’s a hurricane or other natural disaster in your
area, a criminal might call you and ask for donations to a non-profit that is
working to rebuild the region or help needy families.
Protect Yourself: Don’t agree to give to charities
over the phone or when first approached. Instead, investigate the organization
and find a number to call if you are interested in giving a donation.
Funeral Scams
If you place an obituary in a local publication after a
loved one dies, a thief might contact you and insist that your deceased
relative left behind a debt that needs to be paid. In another variation of this
scam, the criminal might attend the funeral service to gather information about
you before asking for money to cover an unpaid debt. Someone pretending to be from
the funeral home could call you and insist that there are extra charges that
didn’t get paid yet.
Protect Yourself: For all these attempts, refuse to
send money immediately and ask for written documentation of the expense.
Government Imposter Scams
You might receive phone calls from people pretending to be
from the IRS or Social Security Administration that demand immediate payment of
unpaid taxes or ask for personal information in order to continue your Social
Security or Medicare benefits. The scammer could be using a technique called
spoofing which makes it appear as if the incoming phone number is legitimate.
The caller is likely to ask you for information or demand you make a payment,
which might need to be in the form of a gift card.
Protect Yourself: “These government agencies will
never initiate contact with people through a phone call, so you can be sure
that the person calling you is a scammer.
Grandparent Scams
In this scenario, a person will pretend to be the grandchild
of the person who answers the phone and ask for money. The caller might claim
they are having an emergency, such as a car accident or problem with the law,
and don’t want anyone to find out. They might ask you to send them money or
gift cards.
Protect Yourself: Setting up a code word for your
grandchildren to use in a real emergency is a good thing to do.
Internet Scams
If you share information about yourself through social
media, you could be targeted by scammers online. Internet scammers can find out
personal information about you that is available online and use that to craft a
scenario that might motivate you to provide funds or share more information.
Thursday, September 17, 2020
Frauds and Scams oh no!
I received a call on my landline this
morning about 10:30 AM that started “New customer” and went on claiming to be
working in the security and fraud department of your bank or credit card
company. Evidently, I had purchased something at 5:30 AM that they thought was
suspicious and asked me to phone a number to verify the purchase. I didn’t
phone because I am not a “New customer” This is a fraud, once you phone back
they then ask if you’ve made a particular purchase; once you reply that you
haven’t, they assure you they will credit your account for the amount. The
fraud works as follows:
To verify the credit, the caller recites your home
address (correctly) and says you can call the 1-800 number on the back of your
card later if you have questions. Finally, they ask you to prove that you are
in possession of the credit card by asking you to read out the three- or
four-digit CVV (Card Verification Value) security number on the back of your
card. After you do this, they respond that you are correct, thank you and hang
up.
Unfortunately, the caller now has all the
information required — your name, address, card number and CVV — to commit fraud.
Here are a few other versions of the scam:
·
Call-back request: The caller may ask you to call the 1-800 number on the back of
your card to prove to you the call is legit. When you hang up, however, the
call is not immediately disconnected because there is a 5 to 25 second
disconnect delay on landline calls in Canada. To really fool you, the caller
even plays a recording of a dial tone to make you think you are placing a new
call but — make no mistake — the scammers are still on the line. When they
“answer” your call, they redirect you to an imposter who may ask you to
transfer funds to an external, supposedly “safer”, bank account (that belongs
to them) while the “investigation” is taking place.
·
Transaction-review
request: Some victims are duped into providing remote
access to their computers and online banking records so the “investigator” can
review any suspicious transactions.
·
Investigation-assistance
request: Other victims are asked to “help” catch the
criminal by accepting a deposit and transferring on it to another account. The
deposit, however, is fake — which means victims end up transferring their own
money to the scammers.
So, how did the caller get your name, address
and/or credit card number to begin with? Unbelievably, there are lead lists for
sale online that contain this information for marketers. Unfortunately,
criminals can purchase the lists as well. Other methods include going through
your garbage or mailbox for credit card statements, hacking companies that have
your card information, or through phishing scams.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
It is "Free" or so you thought
Saturday, January 19, 2019
The 10th fraud used against seniors
- send a registration confirmation email to the address you provided for online mail service for an individual or a business; and
- send an email to the address you provided to notify you when new online mail is available to view in the CRA's secure online services portal.
- send email with a link and ask you to divulge personal or financial information
- ask for personal information of any kind by email or text message.
- request payments by prepaid credit cards.
- give taxpayer information to another person, unless formal authorization is provided by the taxpayer.
- leave personal information on an answering machine.
- Did I sign up to receive online mail through My Account, My Business Account, or Represent a Client?
- Did I provide my email address on my income tax and benefit return to receive mail online?
- Am I expecting more money from the CRA?
- Does this sound too good to be true?
- Is the requester asking for information I would not provide in my tax return?
- Is the requester asking for information I know the CRA already has on file for me?
Friday, January 18, 2019
The 8th and 9th Frauds used against seniors
Some individuals and organizations would have us believe that ageing is not inevitable and that "immortality is within our grasp." These same individuals believe that there exist well-validated biomarkers of ageing that can be used to design individualized "anti-ageing" programs. This approach is expensive and includes poorly validated interventions such as improving antioxidant status and replacing growth hormone (GH), testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and melatonin.
Although growth hormone levels decline with age, it has not been proven that trying to maintain the levels that exist in young persons is beneficial. It is conceivable that age-related hormonal changes may serve as useful markers of physiological ageing. However, this has not been demonstrated experimentally for either humans or animals. Although hormone-replacement trials have yielded some positive results (at least in the short term), it is clear that negative side effects can also occur in the form of increased risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and behaviour changes.
It might even turn out that lower growth-hormone levels are an indicator of health. Research findings indicate that mice that overproduce growth hormones live only a short time, suggesting that growth-hormone deficiency itself does not cause accelerated ageing, but that the opposite may be true.
Thursday, January 17, 2019
The 7th fraud used against seniors.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Frauds used against seniors 5 and 6
Frauds used against seniors 3 and 4
Monday, January 14, 2019
Frauds used against seniors 2
Frauds used against seniors 1
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Protect yourself from Frauds and Scams
- Assess the validity of all messages that you receive from people and business that you do not know. That includes any unsolicited phone calls, people knocking on your door, emails sent you—even those that look like they are from a company you do business with, or family and friends—and letters received in the mail that look like they are official.
- Any emails and links sent to you that seem off should be checked first, by rolling your cursor over them with your mouse before actually clicking on the link. Look at the destination URL is to see if it looks legitimate or not.
- Scammers will also pose as imposters from businesses or organizations and call or approach you in person. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently warned people about scammers posing as CFPB employees.
- Criminals will go to great lengths to try to pressure you with demands for money or payments. If you feel you are being victimized, make sure to report the scam to the proper government agency, your local Better Business Bureau office, and your local police department.
PhoneBusters: 1-888-495-8501 www.phonebusters.com
Canadian Antifraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501 www.antifraudcentre.ca
Canada Revenue Agency: 1-800-267-2384
Better Business Bureau of Mainland BC: 604- 682-2711 http://mainlandbc.bbb.org