Protect yourself from scammers
Many people make a living by robbing others. Scammers are everywhere and anyone can be a target. Some are easy to spot but others look like the real thing. So how can we protect ourselves?
- We don’t have to be paranoid but a degree of scepticism is a good thing. Seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses and believing that everyone is basically “good” and honest can lead us to fall for the scammers’ cons.
- If we were on safari in Africa we would naturally be careful knowing there were wild and dangerous animals around us. So we need to be careful and accept there are people out there ready to prey on us.
- Remember the golden rule: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
- So be wary of anything “free”, be suspicious of “amazing” deals, “opportunities” and moneymaking schemes.
- Be careful what you agree to over the phone. Scammers and legitimate businesses often record calls and can use your agreement to something as a binding contract. Always ask to have things sent to you in writing, and for time to think before you agree to buy or do anything. A business man I once knew kept getting calls from a “magazine” offering good deals on advertising. Eventually he agreed, mostly to get rid of the pest, but then began receiving invoices for staggering amounts. The “magazine” was a real scam – no content expect ads from hapless businesses. It had no customers or market so that no one ever even saw the ads. But because it was actually printed and a copy sent to each “advertiser” it was apparently legal and many of the dupes paid up (some automatically paying any and all invoices they receive) while others paid when they were threatened with legal action.
- Never send or give money to anyone without carefully checking exactly what you will get in return.
- Keep your personal details as private as possible. Never leave things like pay slips, tax file numbers, or bank account details lying around. And be careful what you put in the rubbish bin. It is better to shred or burn any document that identity thieves can use.
- I’ve recently put a pad lock on my mailbox. Living in a country town I have not always been as security conscious as I should. A few months ago (at tax return time and expecting a refund cheque) I noticed the door of my letterbox was often open when I knew I had closed it. Stealing from mailboxes is a useful source of material for fraudsters.
- Keep track of what you normally receive in the mail. If there is a sudden decrease in mail it could mean that someone has filled in a Change-of-Address form in your name and has access to all your mail.
- Keep all personal documentation (such as birth certificates, driver’s licences, and tax file numbers) in a safe place.
- Be suspicious of unexpected calls and text messages.
- Hang up or text STOP to unwanted messages.
- Be careful who you give your phone numbers and email addresses to.
- Keep your virus protection software up to date and regularly scan for problems.
- Even well know, legitimate and apparently respectable businesses can rip you off. Remember, every one you do business with wants your money. Some will deal with you fairly and ethically while others will use various strategies to stack the deck in their own favour. Store credit cards usually carry exorbitant interest rates and many lenders are predatory. Always read the fine print carefully and if you don’t understand what they want you to sign, find someone who does. Always check refund policies, closely study warranties, and analyze advertisements. Misleading advertising is rife. The cosmetic industry (to name just one) for example makes “promises” that are impossible to keep and brazenly takes consumers’ money for products with dubious properties.
- On social networking sites be careful what details about yourself you display. Many people show so much information that they make themselves targets for fraud and identity theft. Criminals require only your name, date of birth and address to wreak havoc.
- When using your credit card always keep it in site. Never give it to a waiter for example to take away when paying a bill. If you can’t see it you don’t know whether it is being skimmed. This happened to me last year. The restaurant was upmarket with an excellent reputation but one of their staff was skimming card details and selling them to fraudsters in another state.
- When paying for anything over the Internet with a credit card make sure the site is secure. Look for the locked padlock icon or https in the address.
- Always check your bank account and credit card statements for unauthorized transactions.
- Choose passwords that are difficult to guess. A combination of letters and numbers are best.
- Never use public computers for anything that involves personal details.
- Never send your credit card, online bank account, or personal details in an email.
- Never open spam emails or click on a link in them or click on pop up boxes (all these can allow spyware to be downloaded to your computer).
- Beware of phishing emails that send you to fake sites. They look authentic but they probably won’t address you by your proper name and may include grammatical or typing errors. No legitimate bank or business will send you an email asking for your passwords. I had one of these purporting to be from Pay Pal not long ago. The major tip off was that it came to a different email account to the one I use for Pay Pal.
- Be highly suspicious when informed you have WON something. Did you actually enter that competition? An elderly neighbour received a phone call informing her that a friend had entered her in a contest and she had won. The prize was free carpet shampooing. When the “carpet cleaner” arrived he turned out to be a vacuum cleaner salesman who badgered and bullied her for 5 hours wanting her to sign a contract to buy a vacuum for $4,000!!
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