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How to Avoid Getting
Conned
What
would you say if someone...
Called on the phone and
offered a free gift, just for allowing them to
verify your credit card number and expiration
date?
Showed up at your door on a
spring day and quoted a bargain price on repairing
the roof or sealing the driveway "because
the materials were left over from a big job in
the neighborhood?"
Tried to sell you extra health insurance,
claiming that your present policy and Medicare
will not cover nursing home care?
A few good answers include:
- I
have to check with the Police Department
or Better Business Bureau first.
- No,
thank you.
- I
want to think it over for a few days.
- I
need to talk to my family and my lawyer before
I decide.
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A Guide to the Classics
Pigeon
Drop
Two strangers tell you they have found a large sum of money or other
valuables. They tell you they will split the good fortune with you if
everyone involved puts up "good faith" money. You turn over
your cash, and you never see your money or the helpful strangers again.
Bank Examiner
A so-called bank official asks for your help to catch a dishonest teller.
He or she asks you to withdraw money from your account and turn it over
to so he or she can check the serial numbers. You do and you get a receipt,
but your cash is gone. No legitimate bank official would ever ask you
to withdraw your money.
The Pyramid Scheme
Someone offers you a painless way to make money. You invest a certain
amount and solicit others to do the same. They then solicit others, and
so on...like a chain letter. This is the Pyramid Scheme. Sometimes the
initial investors are paid a small dividend, but when the pyramid crashes--and
it always does--everyone loses, except the person at the top who has
just skimmed off everyone's money and never invested it. For
information on the "Women Helping Women" Pyramid
Scheme, click here.
Funeral Chaser
Shortly after the death of a relative, someone delivers a leather-bound
Bible that your deceased relative allegedly ordered. Or you get a bill
in the mail for an expensive item on which you must make the payments.
The Funeral Chaser uses obituary notices to prey on bereaved families.
Remember, you are not responsible for anyone else's purchases, and all
legitimate claims will be settled by the estate. |
Bargains that Aren't Bargains
A "free" inspection
uncovers needed repairs that will
cost thousands of dollars. Or a contractor
comes to your home and offers a special half-price
deal on a roof because he has extra materials
from another job. These are favorite tricks
of dishonest firms or individuals who victimize
homeowners.
Always get several estimates for any
major work, and don't allow yourself
to be pressured into accepting a one-day-only
offer. Ask for references and check them out.
Verify that the names, addresses, and phone
numbers provided as references are legitimate.
They could be giving you the phone number of
a friend of theirs.
Get a written contract, and make sure
you understand its provisions.
Never pay for work in advance. Withhold
payment until the job is completed. Pay by
check, not cash. |
Charity Rackets
The
cause sounds worthy and the solicitor is sincere,
but it's a charity you've never heard of, or
its name sounds like that of a well-known charitable
group. Before you give, ask for identification
on both the charity and the solicitor. Find out
the charity's purpose, how funds are used, and
if contributions are tax deductible. Ask what
percentage of your donation goes toward the cause
and what percentage goes toward administrative
costs. Call the State Department of Consumer
Affairs to see if they are authorized to solicit
in your state. And never let them pressure you
into donating. If they are a legitimate organization,
they can wait for you to make an educated decision.
If you are not satisfied with the answers and
feel something isn't quite right, don't give. |
Rule
to live by:
If it sounds too good to be true... it probably is! |
| For
more information about crime prevention, contact police@ci.stockton.ca.us,
209-937-8208. |
|
Stockton,
CA