Seasonal scammers view calendars as opportunities to harvest money and information from unsuspecting consumers. It may be getting cold outside, but they are turning up the heat in an effort to collect your hard-earned money and personal account information. Here are some utility scams making their way around the country as the temperatures drop and thermostats are raised.

1. Pay or Else A phone call demanding immediate payment for an “overdue balance” on a heating bill can be chilling (pardon the pun), especially during winter months. High-pressure tactics and fake threats to turn off service can cause worried customers to purchase prepaid debit cards or use a wire transfer service for immediate payment to keep the heat on. In reality, this is a ruse to steal money and there is no way to recover your funds. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a representative from your energy provider and they are insisting on  payment  via those options, hang up and call the number on your utility bill to check  the status of your account. Be cautious, careful, and stay in control of your finances.

2. Energy Wise or Lies? A knock on your door can lead to promises of great savings and energy reductions  when strangers standing on your stoop offer a free energy audit. They may be vendors fishing for personal information or they could be “casing” your home for future visits when no one is around. If you are interested in improving your energy usage, call your utility company directly and set up an appointment. Ask for ID when someone comes to the door and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your identity and peace of mind are worth it.

3. Scammed and Slammed!  Some salespeople call or visit and claim to be representatives of the “local” electric company, never divulging that they are, in fact, a competitor. They offer discounted rates and incentives as part of a savings package and claim to need some basic details in order to improve your service. In this instance, the information you provide can enable them to switch your account to their company without your knowledge in a ploy called “slamming.”  You can end up paying more than you had been prior to the  change and be forced into fulfilling a contract you knew nothing about. The best defense is common sense. Don’t give out any personal information to strangers unless you initiate the transaction and are comfortable doing so. Report the “new” company to the Better Business Bureau and to your state Public Utilities Commission.

Unfortunately it is difficult to find scammers who operate behind a mask of anonymity. Like the seasons, we need to change our perceptions about protection and stay proactive when it comes to scam prevention.  Be wise and strategize. No one wants to be left out in the cold.

As adults we have adjusted to the ever-evolving world of technology. We know the difference between a laptop and tablet, a password and username, and we try to keep up with the advances being made each day in the computing world. While our children and grandchildren recognize new gadgets faster than we can , they may not realize the risks of sharing personal information online and certainly aren’t aware of the real Bad Guys trolling for ways to steal their identities. Here’s some warning signs that a child’s personal data might be compromised.

1.  Suspicious mail in the child’s/grandchild’s name from medical providers when no services have been rendered to the child.

2. Letters from the IRS addressed to your child/grandchild asking for payments on taxable income despite the fact they are too young to work.

3. Credit card offers and/or bank statements in child’s/grandchild’s name when it is obvious they have no accounts in their name because they are not old enough to conduct any business transactions.

If you suspect fraudulent activity using a young family member’s personal information , contact the FTC at 1-877-438-4338 to file an Identity Theft Affidavit and request a Uniform Minor’s Status Declaration form to help with any additional issues pertaining to the child’s personal data. Follow up with appropriate documentation and keep records of your conversations with organizations and agencies.

We need to be vigilant when it comes to protecting ourselves and loved ones. For additional online safety tips for all family members visit www.stopthinkconnect.org and learn how to work together as a team. Stranger Danger has a new disguise and its up to us to chase the Cyber-Creeps away.

The Affordable Care Act will take effect on October 1, 2013, and scammers have already begun to take advantage of the new program and guidelines. In addition to healthcare coverage, robocallers are trying to entice people to give out personal information by claiming they have won a free gift or upgrade to certain medical alert systems. Here’s a look at both issues.

There is no way for anyone to enroll in any type of health care plan under the Affordable Care Act prior to October 1, 2013. People who are uninsured and those who buy their own coverage should be aware that scammers are standing by to steal  information and give false answers. Under no circumstances should anyone give out private health details, social security numbers, or account information. For more information on this important issue call 1-800-318-2596. Representatives are available 24/7 and you can also visit www.HealthCare.gov.

As explained in last month’s post , Are Rachel and the Robocallers Rattling Your Line?, auto dialers bypass the Do Not Call Registry and try to engage a live person with prerecorded interactive sale techniques. A pleasant voice informs you that you have won a gift, free upgrade, or are eligible for special deals on a Medical Alert system. Once a person responds by pressing a button, a live operator asks for credit card and bank information as well as more personal data. With just one click you can become a victim of Identity Theft and your personal finances will suffer . For help and  additional information on telemarketing and/or unwanted calls visit www.ftc.gov or call 1-877-382-4357.

Your health is your business and a few preventive measures can make a big difference in how you feel. Take care and don’t share your personal data.

If you say the name “Rachel” or mention the word “robocall” in many communities ,the response may be a nod of the head, rolling of the eyes, or a few choice words that indicate displeasure at the mention of the  name and term. So who is “Rachel” , what is a “robocall”, and why do they have in something common?

Rachel is a soothing pre-recorded voice that tries to lull people into purchasing products or services. She offers to   lower your interest rates, improve your credit ratings, and hopes to make your financial concerns hers – in more ways than one.  Revealing  your personal  information allows scammers  to pounce on your money and lower your bank account, not your interest rate! Call any credit card companies yourself to request  lower rates. It’s free and there’s no risk involved.

Advances in technology have allowed companies to use electronic devices known as autodialers to help with their marketing needs. The goal is to play a pre-recorded message and  get a live response from someone  which enables the company to pitch their products or services. The device does not screen the Do Not Call list prior to dialing and that is why the calls get through to folks who have placed their numbers on the Do Not Call registry. While some pre-recorded calls are legal, such as notifications from pharmacies about prescription status or local schools with important information for students, sales calls without prior written permission from the consumer  are illegal.

Here are some simple guidelines for dealing with unwanted calls.

Do not respond when asked to press a button or number. By doing so you let them know it is a legitimate phone number and the calls can increase in frequency.

Keep in mind that fake Caller ID numbers may look legitimate but actually can hide a location and the caller’s true identity. If possible, block the numbers with your phone carrier if there is no fee. The same caller can use several different numbers when contacting you so it may not be feasible to keep blocking each one that gets through.

Last, but not least, if all else fails, just hang up. You can report robocalls to the FTC by calling 1-888-382-1222 or visit their website at www.ftc.gov. Another source for information and help is the Federal Communications Commission which regulates many aspects of communications. Contact them at 1-888-225-5322 or visit www.fcc.gov for more tips.

There are times when definite responses are required when dealing with callers on the phone and times when silence is really golden. It’s up to you to make that call.

       Amateur radio ( aka Ham radio ) is an interesting hobby filled with helpful, enthusiastic  users called “Hams”.  Each Ham must take a test and be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission which strictly regulates a variety of communications operations. There are three levels of Amateur radio licenses, each with exams and guidelines for broadcasting: Technician is the first, General is the second, and Extra is the highest. A specific call sign is awarded individually to everyone who passes the exam and those can be changed depending on the availability and classification of the licensee. There are strict rules for broadcasting and the radio frequencies are monitored regularly. The Ham community has certain websites and organizations they can join and generally there is a strong sense of camaraderie amongst all Hams, no matter the locale.

I mention all this because I am an Extra Class Ham and someone tried to scam a fellow ham in another state by using my call sign and name which is public information if you know where to look. They attempted to sell some non-existent radio equipment to a gentleman by trolling through several ham-related sites and made him an offer to purchase a system he wanted. They deliberately bypassed the website guidelines and contacted him directly rather than through the website email. He became suspicious and contacted me. I assured him I was not selling any equipment and he shared the details with me. Make no mistake, selling and trading equipment is perfectly legal, but when you impersonate  someone using their name and call sign, it becomes a serious matter. I have taken appropriate steps and notified the proper authorities. Because this is incident is currently under investigation I cannot comment further.

My advice to anyone purchasing ham-related (and other ) items is to beware of fraudulent sellers. In this case, the seller had  limited knowledge of ham radio. Do some ham homework and look online for suggestions regarding the sale/swap of electronic items. Its easy to fool people when switching information and pictures to misrepresent items for sale. As with anything, buyer beware and know your rights when dealing with others..

As for the people who tried to scam another Ham using MY name and call sign:

I am “CLEAR” and you are “BUSTED”

To everyone else – 73 (Best Regards) in Ham Lingo!

Compassion and empathy are admirable qualities. During times of disasters and chaos, unscrupulous scammers crawl out from beneath their rocks and begin to prey on good-hearted people. The Boston Bombing is a case in point. Within minutes, a fake Twitter account was set up to solicit donations. Within a few hours several domain names were registered with key words like “Boston”, “Explosions”, and “Marathon”. Some sites are legitimate while others contain malware and viruses that wreak havoc with computers. People wishing to help need to proceed with caution before opening their wallets and following their hearts. Here are some tips for making your donations really count in a safe way .

Visit reputable sites for charity information. Try www.bbb.org  or www.CharityNavigator.org. Also call your state’s Consumer Protection Agency and ask for their input.

For online donations be sure you see HTTPS (Not HTTP) and a padlock icon on the website.

Do NOT give out credit card or bank account information over the phone. You can call the charity yourself. At least you’ll know who you are speaking with.

I am originally from Boston. If you wish to donate go to www.onefundboston.org.  Thanks!

When Talking To Yourself Makes Sense

            We are constantly bombarded with information overload and endless questions about our business and personal lives. Whether in person, on the phone, or online, the intrusions into our private lives should be met with a healthy dose of skepticism. Before responding to any queries we need to ask ourselves three basic questions: Who, What, and Why?

WHO?

            Who is asking the questions? If you initiated a call and know who you are speaking with and why, then certain questions are inevitable. For example, calling your bank about a mortgage payment will require disclosure of certain account information. Someone calling you and asking for your credit card number is a different story. Hit delete on that email about your long-lost relative’s inheritance and move on. The who asking questions should be you.

WHAT?

            We’ve all received phone calls asking questions, but what are they inquiring about? Someone conducting a survey does not need your credit card information or your date of birth. The salesperson at your door does not need payment in full before the job is even begun. However, a new bank teller may request a verification of information while you are banking and that is for your protection. What someone is asking is what you need to ask yourself.

WHY?

            Why would someone randomly call or email you with a special offer to take a trip to a foreign locale within the next 48 hours with the requirement that you pay in full by wire transfer? Is there a reason why your answering machine is full of offers for reduced rates on your car loan, even if you don’t have one? Why would your credit card company call and ask if you just purchased a new stereo system and six laptops?  Chances are the fraud protection unit is hard at work and the why becomes apparent after you’ve discovered who did what with your personal information.

 You can see why talking to yourself  really pays off !

Back in the day we used to stuff small, heart-shaped notes into tiny white envelopes and peek as the recipient unwrapped our words of love and either blushed, frowned, or threw it away. Today things are much different and we need to be careful with our good intentions. Consider this tale of love.

A gentleman was checking his email and saw a note in the Subject line which read “Thanks for your order of Valentine roses.” Knowing he had not purchased roses or any other flowers for his wife, he clicked on the email to see the entire message. Embedded within the body of text was a box that said, “Click here for questions on your order.” Concerned that his credit card account had been improperly charged he hit the button and lo and behold, a porn site filled his screen, complete with flashing colors and awkward sounds. Flustered and embarrassed, he spent a moment looking for a way to exit the site. Just then his wife walked in the room, peered over his shoulder, and one can only imagine the discussion that ensued! He was able to leave the site, but not the room, until he finished explaining what had happened. Moral of the story-don’t click on strange emails and sometimes pictures are worth more than a thousand words when you have some explaining to do!

The holidaze are over and tax season has arrived. The IRS has announced that they will not be processing any returns until January 30th this year and eager workers will file their returns and dream of ways to spend their “extra” money while others plan payment arrangements for money that is owed. No matter which category you fall in, there are safeguards to consider when dealing with income tax returns. Here are some simple tips from the IRS.

1. The IRS does not contact taxpayers via email to request personal information. Like other “phishing” scams, hackers pretend to be officials from the IRS and demand that you provide them with identifying information by clicking on a link.  The correct website info is www.irs.gov and any suspicious emails can be forwarded to phishing@irs.gov.

2. Guard your social security number. Stolen numbers are used by con artists to get jobs and to tap into your credit history. Unbeknownst to you, an employer will report the earnings from the scammer’s work onto your account and you look dishonest  for not reporting the full amount. If this happens, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit by calling 1-800-908-4490 or visit www.irs.gov.

3. Be leery of anyone calling , texting, or emailing with “special offers” to help with tax returns. Never give out any personal information and report any harassing calls to the proper authorities. You work hard for your money.  Make sure your return comes back to you!