In a joint effort to curb the incidence of elder fraud, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB - consumerfinance.gov) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC - fdic.gov) have released an online resource guide to help seniors and their caregivers recognize and avoid this crime. The guide is available at consumerfinance.gov.The guide is intended to … [Read more...] about New guide to help consumers avoid scams
Scams & Cons
Two states – two big problems – contractor and charity fraud
Two separate May 16 news stories reported that scam artists are attempting to take advantage of disaster victims in both Colorado and Ohio. While law enforcement is reaching out in a proactive attempt to limit these scams, so are insurance companies.In Ohio, the Legal Newsline Legal Journal reported that the state’s Attorney General had issued warnings about contractors who … [Read more...] about Two states – two big problems – contractor and charity fraud
FTC announces crackdown on timeshare resale scams
An announcement made during a Miami press conference called by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC - ftc.gov) announced a crackdown on timeshare resale scams. As someone who once had and tried to sell a timeshare, this news seems long overdue. The timeshare resale industry has been extremely lucrative for the companies who conduct these scams.According to the announcement, … [Read more...] about FTC announces crackdown on timeshare resale scams
Popular scams a hot topic at Kiwanis meeting
I just got back from my visit with the Kiwanis Club of Grantville in La Mesa. It was a great meeting and the presentation went very well, with lots of questions and participation. A couple of the things that seemed to surprise the members most were the triangulation scam and the QR code scam. Here’s a synopsis of each and how you can avoid them.The triangulation scam was in … [Read more...] about Popular scams a hot topic at Kiwanis meeting
Medical alert scams are targeting seniors
Millions of seniors turn to monitoring companies to help keep them safe in the event of a fall or other medical emergency. When Kathy told me about an email from Bay Alarm Medical, I had to check it out. On May 15, the website at www.bayalarmmedical.com reported a scam that targets seniors. Their post said, “Bay Alarm Medical is currently investigating reports of fraudulent … [Read more...] about Medical alert scams are targeting seniors