Scams are extremely prevalent and very sophisticated. It’s important to know the steps to take to protect yourself. One thing you can do is to sign up for the remaining workshop in the AARP series. Here is the link; you will need to register in advance, but it’s free. Copy the link below and paste it into your browser to go to the page to sign up.
April 30: Slam the Scam—Tips and Resources to Help You Fight Fraud
https://aarp.cvent.com/SlamTheScam21
Another resource is the April 2021 AARP Bulletin; it had lots of information and tips about avoiding scams.
Some important tips to keep in mind:
- Never give out important information on the phone to someone who has called you. For example, if someone calls claiming to be from your credit card company and wants to “verify” your identity by having you give them your credit card information, don’t do it! Instead, call the number on the back of the credit card and ask if there’s a problem with your account. The same goes for other organizations like the Social Security Administration; always look up the number independently and call them yourself.
- Never click on a link in a text message. For example, you might get a text claiming to be from the Post Office and saying that your package is waiting and you need to click the link to verify. This is a scam! Once you click the link, the scammer will have access to the information on your phone.
Scammers have many other tricks up their sleeves. And they are not just small-time thieves; the New Yorker recently ran an article about how North Korea has stolen billions of dollars using various scams. That’s how they are able to finance their nuclear program. Be careful and alert to avoid being a victim.