If you have a sign for a home security system in your
yard, be wary of this summer scam. Fraudsters will hire college students to
walk through neighborhoods looking for houses with security system signs. The
student will tell the homeowner the security company is going out of business,
and the student’s “company” is taking over the account. The homeowner is told
she has to buy new equipment and sign a new contract. Only the equipment is
fake and the homeowner is paying for a service she isn’t receiving. If you get
this kind of visit, check first with your home security company. Better yet,
don’t do business with someone who comes unsolicited to your home.
Caller ID
Spoofing
Caller ID spoofing is making its way to phones near you.
Scammers have mastered calling people using a fake name and number that will
pop up on your phone. The call will seem urgent; for example, it could concern
something like an account that is about to be cancelled unless you immediately
give your bank information or credit card number for payment. Never give out
personal information via an incoming phone call. You never know who is
actually on the line.
Home Repair
Scams
We are in prime time for home repair scams. A common
tactic is a “contractor” will come to your door and offer to do work on your
home at a steep discount. He or she will likely demand payment upfront and then
disappear. Or they will do the work but it will be shoddy, or they will demand
more money to finish the job. Avoid working with contractors who contact
you. Before you start any work, ask for references and check them, get a
written estimate and compare bids. Also, check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints. And
never pay anything until you have a written contract.
Accessing
Public Wifi
Using public wifi puts you at risk of sharing personal
information with criminals. If you're on free public wifi at the gym, hotel or
a coffee shop, anyone else on that same network can tap into the information
you're transferring over the network. This means any bad guy can see what
you're doing, leaving passwords, usernames, and account numbers vulnerable.
Stick to only browsing the web and checking news when on public wifi. Avoid
using online banking, checking your email, making credit card purchases, or
even posting on Facebook when using public wifi.
Be a fraud
fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a
scam.
Report scams to
local law enforcement. Contact the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork for
more information on fraud prevention.
