Online shopping continues to grow at a rapid pace. As a result, the opportunity for fraud has grown. Around 75 percent of adults report they’ve been targeted by or experienced online and phone scams.
Seniors have to be especially careful because con artists seek them out. Here are five tips to avoid being scammed this season, as reported by the Boston Herald.
- Don’t respond: The first rule is never responding to communications you didn’t initiate. You should be the person who makes the first contact. Be wary of unknown people, and never give out personal information to such callers.
- Shop where you trust: It’s also wise to stick with online retailers with legitimate websites you’re familiar with and accustomed to using.
- Don’t be fooled: Never fall for a caller who claims to be contacting you regarding “an urgent matter.” It may be posed as a bank security breach, a call involving a relative with a problem, or a warranty expiration. All these ploys are favorites of scam artists.
- Beware of texts: Texting is another avenue for fraud. So, never click on a link sent to you in a blind text message you didn’t initiate.
- Pay with credit cards: Finally, always use credit cards to pay and never use debit cards. Credit card companies protect you.
Council of Seniors Works to Protect and Build Benefits
Council of Seniors is totally committed to getting Congress to pass The SAVE Benefits Act. We need this law to make up for insufficient Social Security cost of living adjustments (COLAs) in some recent years. With its passage, $581 can finally be returned to seniors.
Signing our petition right now is the best and fastest way to help. Let’s show Congress how many people support this bill. We’ll greatly appreciate your participation in this critical effort.
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