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| Home > Fact
of the Week > Signs
of Fraud |
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12-13-2010
Preparedness
Facts of the Week
by
Elizabeth Hall, Emergency
Services Specialist -
Kings County Office of Emergency Management |
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A
few months ago I received a mailing
from the United States Postal
Service entitled “Do You
Know the Warning Signs of Fraud?”
It
was a tri-fold, easy-to-read
brochure that had some very good
information on different types
of fraud, not just mail fraud.
For those of you who did not
receive this brochure, I’d
like to share the information
with you now.
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- Play
It Safe
- Never
click on a link inside an e-mail
to visit a Web site. Type the
address into your browser instead.
- It’s
easy for a business to look legitimate
online. If you
have any doubts, verify the company
with the Better Business Bureau.
- Only
2% of reported identify theft occurs through the mail.
Report online fraud to the Federal
Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
- Retain
your receipts, statements, packing
slips. Review them for
accuracy.
- Shred
confidential documents instead
of simply discarding them
in the trash.
- Warning
Signs
- Sounds
too good to be true.
- Pressures
you to act “right
away.”
- Guarantees
success.
- Promises
unusually high returns.
- Requires
an upfront investment
- even for a “free” prize.
- Buyers
want to overpay you
for an item and have
you send them
the difference.
- Doesn’t
have the look of a
real business.
- Something
just doesn’t
feel right.
- Fraud
Facts
- Your
bank will never e-mail or call
you for your account number.
- Don’t
wire money to people you don’t
know.
- Be
cautious of work-at-home job offers.
(I’ve
been getting a lot of
email solicitation
on this very topic!)
- Check
out the company with the Better
Business Bureau.
- There
are no legitimate jobs that
involve reshipping
items or financial
instruments from your home.
- Foreign
lotteries are illegal in the
U.S. You can’t
win no matter what
they say.
- Check
you monthly bank statements
for charges you don’t
recognize.
- Order
a copy of your credit report
from each of the three
national credit bureaus
once a year from annualcreditreport.com.
- Get
involved
- It’s
never too early to become an
informed consumer.
Point out “too good to
be true” offers to your
kids, and teach them to be
skeptical.
- Take
an active interest in the financial
activities
of
your aging parents.
- Share information about
scams with friends and family.
Use social networking to help
keep them safe.
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Resources:
United States Postal Inspection
Service
&
United Sates of America Federal
Trade Commission
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If
you’ve received a
suspected fraud through the
U.S. Mail, or if the mail was
used in the furtherance of
a crime that began on the Internet,
telephone, or in person, report
it to the U.S. Postal Inspection
Service. Also, if you go to
their website, http://www.deliveringtrust.com/,
you will be able to read what
you can do regarding:
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Fake
Check Scams
Cross-Border Fraud
Internet Fraud
Foreign Lottery Scams
Work-at-Home Scams
Identity Theft
Telemarketing Fraud
Picking Up the Pieces
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The
Federal Trade
Commission, the
nation’s
consumer protection
agency, works
to prevent fraud
and to provide
information to
help consumers
spot, stop and
avoid it. To
file a complaint
or get free information
on consumer issues,
visit ftc.gov or call toll-free,
1-877-FTC-HELP.
Watch a new video,
How to File a
Complaint, at
ftc.gov/video to learn more.
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Do
your part for safety awareness by passing this
information along to anyone you can think of
who would benefit.
Have
a great week, and remember…… Be
Responsible - Be Ready - Be Prepared!
Teaming Up for Emergency Preparedness
Elizabeth Hall
Office of Emergency Management
280 Campus Drive Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-3211, Ext. 2634
www.kingscountyoem.com
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