Protecting Yourself Against Fraud
You know the old saying, “There’s a sucker born every day.” I’m amazed at the number of people who will just hand over info about themselves to anyone who asks.
Anne wrote:
My place of business had a salesman from a Fraud Protection Agency come talk to us about how beneficial they could be for us. While he chattered away I read the fine print on the back of the application form. Then I asked him,”I t says on the back of the form that if any fraud was detected this company would have power of attorney over our finances. How long would you have this?” He said, “As long as it takes.” No sales were made that night and I was fortunate to have my Power Shield on because the salesman shot many daggers my way. Please tell your fans to read everything carefully and then read it again.
Consider yourselves told.
Fraudulent credit-report services are popping up all over the place in response to the rampant fear people now feel about having their IDs stolen. Talk about the fox in the hen house, eh? If you are approached by e-mail or phone, you need to be wary. And if you’re asked to do something with which you are not comfortable, you shouldn’t. Err on the side of caution when it comes to dealing with your personal security.
While it is a good idea to check over your credit report to ensure you haven’t unknowingly become a victim of identity theft, you don’t need someone to do this on your behalf. You’re entitled to review your own credit history for free once a year. And make sure you get ‘em all so you can see everything.
If you decide to order your report through the website, don’t use a public computer, and double-check the URL to make sure you don’t fall for an impostor site — there are lots of them. If you’re receiving a credit report by mail, have it sent to a secure address where curious eyes and sticky fingers can’t get at it.
You would think that in this day and age of rabid cynicism few people would fall for the “You’ve won a big prize” or “it’s a once-in-a-lifetime investment” or “this lottery ticket pool can’t lose,” but fall people do. In 2006, there were over 7700 reported cases of phone-fraud valued at over $16 million in Canada. Wow! People, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you get a call, and the guy on the other end of the phone is really excited, chances are you’re being suckered. If they claim to be a person of authority and want you to hand over personal information, you’re being suckered. And if they try to become your “friend”, you’re being suckered.
Elderly people and shut-ins are particularly susceptible to these kinds of calls. Because they are lonely or may not be thinking clearly, they can be deceived easily. Thieves know this, and so should you so you can protect the most vulnerable in your family. Watch for significant increases in the amount of mail with too-good-to-be-true offers since it may mean your loved-one is on a list. Listen for numerous calls for donations to unfamiliar charities. If your elder is suddenly unable to pay normal bills, it may be a clue that money is going to the wrong places. Scrutinize banking records that show cheques or withdrawals to see if any have been made to unfamiliar companies.
Please don’t criticize your lovey for being naïve. Encourage him or her to talk to you about unsolicited calls or any new charitable dealings. Encourage them to hang up on suspicious calls. Once a person has succumbed to fraud, their name and number goes on a “sucker list” and they will be hounded relentlessly, wearing down their resistance.
Want to protect yourself and your loved ones from fraud? Here are some steps to consider:
Invest in a shredder and shred all old bills, bank statements, credit cards, personal notes, anything that has your personal information or address on it.
Watch for changes in your mail. If a stops arriving, someone may have changed your address.
All check your credit card bills and bank statements thoroughly for suspicious activity. Sign up for online bills and bank statements so there is less paper with your identity printed on it.
Make sure your computer is secure. Be careful about downloading free software since “free” sometimes comes with spyware to offset their costs. Install anti-virus and spyware protection.
Pare down your wallet and carry only what you absolutely need. Don’t carry your SIN/SSC, birth certificate or passport in your wallet. While you need to have your provincial health card with you at all times, leave the original somewhere safe and carry a colour-photocopy.
Leave your chequebook at home since your cheques have loads of information thieves can use to steal your ID. If you must carry cheques, replace your address with a P.O. box number use only your initials on your cheques.
When using your debit or credit card make sure you can always see your card while the person swipes it. Charlatans can double swipe shoppers’ cards to capture a wealth of information in a single day of work at a grocery store, convenience store, or other retail outlet.
Enter your PIN discretely. “Shoulder surfing” is a common way crooks get your private numbers.
Never give your credit card number over the phone unless you initiated the call.
Legitimate charities will be more than happy to send information rather than demanding a donation. Don’t give on the fly.
Before making a purchase online, make sure the site is secure. The address bar should begin with the words “https”, meaning the page will encrypt your information when you send it. Internet Explorer will also have a lock icon on the bottom right of your browser window.