Aging in Place

PERSONAL FINANCE

Protecting Yourself from Frauds and Scams Have you received unsolicited phone calls, texts or emails asking for personal information or money from you? Scammers will often try to confuse, shock, or scare you into sharing personal information or making some sort of payment. Don ’ t feel pressured to take immediate action. Instead, ask someone you trust to evaluate the request for you.

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Have you come across what seems like a scam because of irregular grammar or spelling ? This used to be a telltale sign of many scams, but Artificial Intelligence or AI has made it less likely that a scam can be easily spotted in this way.

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Frequently

Has anyone ever asked for your Medicare or Social Security number by phone or email? Government agencies like the IRS, the Social Security Administration or Medicare will never call you directly to verify your ID numbers or other personal information.

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Frequently

Have you ever been suspicious of an email or text from a company you normally do business with asking you to click on a link and wondered if it was legitimate? Remember, anyone can cut and paste a legitimate - looking company logo into an email, or even use a similar (but fake) email address. If you want to verify the message, go to the company ’ s official website for contact information instead of googling contact information (where scammers can also lurk).

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Frequently

Do you limit the types of information and images you share on social media accounts ? Using privacy settings and limiting personal information you share online can help protect you from scammers trying to glean information (like pet or family member names) which they can use to guess passwords, access your accounts, or steal your identify. Yes____ No____ Not Sure ____ Have you developed a secret code name or word for your family? Scammers may try to imitate a family member by phone, text or email and will reach out to you for “ help ”. With AI, scammers now have the capability of easily “ cloning ” a loved one ’ s phone number and even their voice! If you are suspicious, ask them for the secret word. If they don ’ t know it - hang up immediately. When choosing a code word, pick something that ’ s hard to guess (like “ alligator ” or “ waffle ”) and that couldn ’ t be found on social media accounts or in public records. Yes____ No____ Not Sure ____

Aging in Place: Your Home, Your Community, Your Choice

Personal Finance

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