More people online, more chances to be scammed

SENIORS — EASY MARKS?: Are seniors targeted more than other consumers for frauds and scams? The answer is yes. Communications and banking technologies move money around the world at lighting speed these days. Crooks that would separate you from your money are no longer just local and regional. We now must contend with hundreds of crooks, fraudsters and scammers from around the world targeting each consumer.

I was born in 1950. For everyone, it’s a whole new world. For seniors, it’s hard to imagine how much things have changed. I consider myself fairly tech savvy. On the other hand, I remember, not too long ago, waiting until after 7 p.m. to get the best rates for a long distance phone call, and when there were postal zones instead of zip codes.

Things have changed.

You are targeted like you’ve never been! As of March, it is estimated that over four billion people in the world have access to the internet. If only 1 percent of those with access are involved in using the internet to scam consumers, that makes more than 40 million crooks potentially targeting you. That’s a lot!

Today, with the push of a button, a scammer in an out-of-the-way country can instantly send out millions of emails. If one out of a half-million consumers falls for the ruse, the scammer can drain a checking account or retirement account in a split second, and then simply disappear.

Toto, we’re definitely NOT in Kansas anymore!!!

In a way, it almost makes a person want to sit home in a corner in the fetal position with the doors locked and the lights out, afraid to open or send an email and certainly in fear of answering the phone.

Now here’s the good news. It’s easy to protect yourself, and your loved ones from the scammers. Follow these rules:

If it sounds too good to be true — IT IS! Don’t fall for it.

If you’re being offered a “grant” or sweepstakes, or the “government”— it’s a scam. Don’t do it.

If you’re required or pressured to hurry up and make a decision — don’t do it. It’s a scam. Good deals today are also good deals tomorrow — after you’ve checked them out.

If someone calls you and threatens you with arrest or a warrant — it’s a scam.

Don’t EVER buy gift cards or prepaid cash cards and send them to anyone for payment of anything.

Don’t EVER give your credit card information to anyone that calls you. Not even if they suggest you call them back. Telephone numbers are easy, cheap and quick to buy online.

Before making any decision about paying for anything resulting from an email or a phone call, get in touch with friends or relatives to discuss the matter. You can also call me or email me.

Always use a credit card to pay for remote purchases of good or services. Don’t use a checking account number or a debit card — the Federal Trade Commission protections only apply to credit cards.

Above all — talk to each other. Together we can be a hard target for the crooks.

Also, if you’ve fallen victim to a crook, con artist or scammer, let friends and family know. Don’t be embarrassed. Trusting, honest people are the easiest to take advantage of.

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CONTRACT TERMS: In the case of contracts, don’t only ask how long the guarantee is good for but what are the terms? Recently a consumer called complaining they had purchased a king-size mattress a couple years ago with a 10-year “no hassle” warrantee. The only problem was, the consumer was responsible for packing up the mattress AND paying all shipping charges back to Dalton, Ga. Also the mattress had to be returned in its original shipping container with all packaging. All this makes the “no hassle” warranty a lot of hassle and very expensive, and practically worthless!

The mattress contract also specified that in the event of a lawsuit, any litigation could only be filed in a court in Dalton, Ga. In other words, as the consumer, you would be forced to hire a lawyer licensed in Georgia, and file your case in Dalton, Ga. This makes it almost impossible to sue the seller of the mattress.

One more item before we leave this subject: NEVER play lawyer and write your own contract. There’s a reason attorneys go to school three years after college and are required to pass the state bar exam. Also, you should know that any ambiguities (areas that are not clear) are usually held against the party that wrote the contract.

Now let’s go over some basics. Always get a copy of the contract to read carefully BEFORE taking delivery of goods or before a service is rendered. When I say, read carefully, I mean understand what the terms of the contract obligate you to. If you don’t understand it, DON’T SIGN IT! No exceptions. If the other party tells you anything like, “It’s just boiler plate,” or, “It’s just standard contract language,” or “Our lawyers make us put that in there,” — once again, DON’T SIGN IT!

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REMEMBER: “We’re On Your Side”

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We have many more tips and interesting cases that we’re working on. Call us at (208) 699-2455. You can follow us at www.billbrooks.us. We are available to speak about consumerism to schools and civic groups. Bill Brooks is a consumer advocate who lives in Coeur d’Alene. Terri Dickerson is a writer and consumer advocate living in Coeur d’Alene. Bobbi Brooks is the proofreader.