There are a lot of scams out there. People use them to
separate you from your goods and money. One of the latest in the San Francisco
Bay Area is the “Snake Scam.” This is where a nice looking lady in an Animal
Control uniform appears at your door and tells you that there is a snake
infestation in the neighborhood. She needs to show all the members of the
household where she will set the traps. Once the lady has you in your backyard,
her associate is pillaging your home for cash and jewels. They can also present
themselves as a gas & electric worker or a cable TV installer. Ask for ID
from anyone attempting to enter your home to perform services. If you are
suspicious, call the company and check on them before allowing them in. If they
are scamming you, they will run away.
Another popular scam used on older people is the “Lottery
Ticket Scam.” Two people approach the “Mark” and one will say he has the
winning lottery ticket. He will have a ticket with the winning numbers
purchased on the date of the lotto drawing. However, the time is after the
drawing, but the victim does not usually see that. The scam is that the person
with the ticket is an undocumented alien and cannot cash the ticket and needs a
citizen to cash it for him. The victim is asked to put up thousands in “good
faith” money in cash. Yes, eventually the bad guys disappear with the good
faith money and the Mark, our victim, is left holding a worthless lottery
ticket.
Let’s not be victims. Let’s do some things that will protect
us. Sometimes, little things make a big impact.
1. On all debit and credit cards, take a permanent marking
pen and write, “Ask for ID” in the signature portion on the back of all your
cards. Don’t sign it. You are only giving the bad guys an example of your
signature to copy and forge. The idea is when a thief is buying a big ticket
item he gets stopped when asked to present ID. Per Visa, a merchant may ask you
to sign the card, but cannot refuse your transaction if you produce valid
government identification such as a Driver’s License or State ID Card.
2. Utilize a good firewall and antivirus program to protect your computer and any data from hackers and spammers. A good firewall makes your computer anonymous to the internet, meaning your computer and your transactions cannot be seen by hackers. Good internet security software might cost as much as $60. Never download or click on links from someone you do not know. What is your peace of mind worth today?
3. Consider electronic banking and bill pay to avoid ID Theft. -Paying your bills with a check provides a thief with your name, address, bank routing number and your account number, as well as an example of your signature. Online Bill Payments are electronic and leave nothing like that to be used against you. Plus they save on the cost of checks and postage.
Utilize e-statements instead of a paper statement mailed to
your mailbox. It’s easy for thieves to access your mailbox during the middle of
the day. E-statements provide access to your account transactions and details
quicker and are more secure. Not to mention they save on paper and postage, so
you’re helping the environment. And if you need a copy, you can download and
save your statements or print them from your home computer.
Consider “Alerts” with online banking. Setting up alerts can
provide you with information on what’s happening to your accounts at any time,
including transfers, withdrawals and deposits.
4. If you don’t want to use online banking, don't mail your bills by sticking them in your mailbox to be picked up by the postman. Thieves patrol streets on the 3rd thru the 5th of the month and after the 15th to fish for money in bill payment envelopes. Mail your bills in a U.S. Postal mail box or at the post office only!
5. Shred old banking documents you no longer need. It keeps your personal data away from thieves. If you don’t have a shredder, I would bet your local credit union branch will help you by taking a small stack of documents and adding them to their secure shredding. Also, many office supply stores offer secure shredding at low prices.
* * *
Free Financial and Business Workshops presented at
Meriwest Credit Union
Writing an Effective
Business Plan and Access to Business Capital
- Write a business plan that gets noticed!
- Gain an understanding how lenders view business loan applications
Sept. 12th – 6 PM
Meriwest Credit Union Main Office
5615 Chesbro
Ave
San Jose
CA 951123
Please RSVP with Dan Golding
at dgoldin@meriwest.com or
408-632-4180
Real World Budgets
for Young Adults
- For Teens and College Students: Learn about money while building your post college budget!
- Start managing your money today!
Sept. 18th – 6:30 PM
Meriwest Credit Union Main Office
5615 Chesbro
Ave
San Jose
CA 951123
Please RSVP with Greg Meyer at gmeyer@meriwest.com or 408-365-6328
Credit Myth and
Repair
- Learn the Top Ten Myths of credit that are not necessarily true!
- Learn how to correct errors on your credit report.
Sept. 25th – 6:30 PM
Meriwest Credit Union Main Office
5615 Chesbro
Ave
San Jose
CA 951123
Please RSVP with Greg Meyer at gmeyer@meriwest.com or 408-365-6328
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