Scams perpetrated on our senior citizens total billions of dollars every year, and they likely will total more than that in 2020 because of the Coronavirus Pandemic.  Be sure you and your loved ones are aware of several of the newer scams which are out there, and some of the other ones, too.

The most important rule your parents probably told you, as my parents told my siblings and me growing up:  If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.  When in doubt, do not do it.  Sleep on it, do not make any quick decisions, and ask a credible source what they think. (Some credible non-profit sources for direction are also noted below.)

Coronavirus Pandemic scams.

  1. Scammers who come to your home and offer to shop for you. They get your list, payment method, and they do not come back.
  2. Phone solicitations for hand sanitizers, cleaning products and paper goods. They ask for your cc information and the goods are never delivered.
  3. The caller claims a vaccination for the virus has been found, and they offer to provide it to you for a price. (There is no known vaccination currently.)
  4. You receive information about a charity you never heard of. It sounds authentic, but it is not. You are asked to click on to its web site, which gets the scammer into your computer to get confidential credit card numbers.
  5. Stimulus checks. You receive information that you are entitled to a stimulus check, but you are asked to provide confidential information to apply for it. Or, you are asked to advance funds to process your payment.
  6. Other standard scams when the caller asks for your private cc information.

If you live in NC and you believe you have been a victim, call the NCDOJ at 1.877.5.NO SCAM. (667226).

 

This article was originally written by Mike Wells and published by the Winston-Salem Journal. To read the full article, visit the Winston-Salem Journal online here.