SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is a volunteer attorney who serves low income seniors in San Mateo County, California.

November 20, 2019

GAS PUMP FRAUD

GAS PUMP FRAUD

Watch out for card skimming at the gas pump.

The Federal Trade Commission is warning drivers about skimming scams at the pump. Skimmers are illegal card readers attached to payment terminals.  These card readers grab data off a credit or debit card’s magnetic stripe without your knowledge. Criminals sell the stolen data or use it to buy things online. You won’t know your information has been stolen until you get your statement or an overdraft notice.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid a skimmer when you gas up:

*Make sure the gas pump panel is closed and doesn’t show signs of tampering. Many stations now put security seals over the cabinet panel. If the pump panel is opened, the label will read “void.”

*Look at the card reader itself. Does it look different from other readers at the station? For example, the card reader on the left has a skimmer attached; the reader on the right doesn’t.

*Try to wiggle the card reader before you put in your card. If it moves, report it to the attendant. Then use a different pump.

*If you use a debit card at the pump, run it as a credit card instead of entering a PIN. That way, the PIN is safe and the money isn’t deducted immediately from your account.

*If you’re really concerned about skimmers, pay inside rather than at the pump.

*Monitor your credit card and bank accounts regularly to spot unauthorized charges.

If your credit card has been compromised, report it to your bank or card issuer. Federal law limits your liability if your credit, ATM, or debit card is lost or stolen, but your liability may depend on how quickly you report the loss or theft.  

If you experience a scamming incident, report it to http://www.FTC.gov.

Attb: FTC

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is a volunteer attorney who provides free legal services for low income seniors in San Mateo County, California.

November 17, 2019.

PESKY FINE PRINT  

Contract Small Print Gotchas!

We have all been there. Contracts are full of fine print that is tedious to read and can cost you big bucks. Buried within the language are many legal words and phrases that should serve as a red flag to potential hassles or rip-offs.

 Here’s a list of common phrases in contracts and service agreements that you should look for before signing any paper or sending money.

1. “Free” — Rarely is anything free. If you aren’t paying for the product, you likely are the scammer’s product — your information may be sold to advertisers who will barrage you with online solicitations. Or, you may be committing to pay later.

2. “Free trial” It’s often accompanied by phrases like “We will not charge your credit card [until 30 days from now].” This enters you into a game of “Will you remember to cancel on the 29th day?”

3. “Six months Introductory Price.” This is a variation of the free trial game. For example, $39 a month for cable TV sounds good to you in January, but if it’s increased to $137 per month by August because you did not remember to cancel in July, is that a good deal?

4. “Automatically Renews” Such clauses mean you keep paying even if you don’t realize it or want the service anymore. Sure, if you want the convenience of automatic renewal, it can work for you. But beware if such an arrangement is tucked in the fine print without your knowledge.

5. “Fees” Compare late payment fees and other penalty charges when shopping. The cost of such a mistake shouldn’t be unreasonable.

6.”Restocking Fee” Sales folks will talk you into taking a product home to try it and promise that you can bring it back for a refund. But restocking fees can be steep — 15 percent for electronics, for example.

7. “Extended Warranty”. Consumers can find extended warranty costs snuck into monthly payments. The value of such warranties is debatable, but consumers should always be fully informed about the cost.

8. “Not Covered”. Many warranties are full of exclusions that can lead to disappointment. For example, in cars, “wear” parts like brake pads usually aren’t covered.

9. “Void the Warranty”. Sometimes, warranties become useless if consumers break terms that make them “void,” such as getting an electronic gadget wet.

Legal loopholes:

10. “Mandatory Arbitration”. If a product injures you or you feel misled, you can’t sue in a court of law; you must submit to arbitration.

11. “Limitations for Suit”. This may shorten your window for potential lawsuits.  Check terms and conditions to understand any abbreviation of time period.

12. “Hold Harmless and Indemnify”. Watch out for this. These words can give corporations the potential to force a consumer (or worker) to pay the company’s legal fees in the case of a lawsuit.

Attb: AARP                              #

SCAMS BULLETIN Host is Jay White.

November 11, 2019

LOTTERY and SWEEPSTAKES SCAMS

According to the Federal Trade Commission, lottery and sweepstakes scams are one of the most common consumer frauds operating today. Scammers can be very convincing. Who wouldn’t want to win big!

Here is how it works:

You get a card, call, or email telling you that you won a lot of money! Maybe it’s a lottery, sweepstakes, or some other prize. The person calling is excited and can’t wait for you to get your winnings.

But here’s what to expect next:

They tell you there’s a fee, sometimes it is for taxes, customs duties or some other bogus charge. You must pay it before you can receive your winnings. They may ask for your bank account information, or ask you to send money via a wire transfer, or to purchase gift cards and provide the card numbers. Don’t do it!

Do not give money to anyone on their promise to give you something in return. If you send money you lose money instead of winning it.  Don’t expect to receive a big prize. Instead, you will likely get more requests for money, and more false promises that you won big.

Elderly persons are more vulnerable to scams. They frequently are targets of lottery and sweepstakes scams.

FTC’s tips to fight against lottery and sweepstakes scams:

*Do not give money to strangers.

*Do not give your personal information to strangers.

* Keep your money – and your information – to yourself. Never share your financial information with someone who contacts you.  And never wire money to or share gift card numbers with anyone who asks you to do so. Both payment methods are a sure sign of a scam.

* Fake check scam. If you receive a check for a large amount of money with instructions to deposit it in your bank account and send back a check “to cover expenses” or some other bogus use-don’t do it!

* If you receive a fake check and you deposit it in your account, your bank may not discover it is fake for several days. In the interim, if you write a check on your account, not knowing the fake checked has bounced, you could end up owing your bank the amount of your check you wrote on your account.    

Pass this warning information on to a friend. You probably know someone who could use a friendly reminder.

If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. Your report can help FTC investigators identify the scammers and stop them before they steal someone’s hard-earned money.

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SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is a volunteer attorney who provides free legal services for low income seniors in San Mateo County, California.

November 7, 2019

TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO AVOID SCAMS

The US Federal Trade Commission offers tips for avoiding fraud. Crooks use clever schemes to defraud millions of people every year. Here are some practical tips to help you stay a step ahead.

*Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government official, a family member, a charity, or a company with whom you do business.

*Do online searches. Type a company or product name into your favorite search engine with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.”

*Don’t believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real.

 *If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.

*Don’t pay upfront for a promise. Someone might ask you to pay in advance for things like debt relief, credit and loan offers, mortgage assistance, or a job. They might even say you’ve won a prize, but first you have to pay taxes or fees. If you do, they will probably take the money and disappear.

*Consider how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in, but some payment methods don’t. Wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram is risky because it’s nearly impossible to get your money back. That’s also true for reloadable cards (like MoneyPak or Reloadit) and gift cards (like iTunes or Google Play). Government offices and honest companies won’t require you to use these payment methods.

*Talk to someone. Before you give up your money or personal information, talk to someone you trust. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry. They might even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, do an online search, consult an expert — or just tell a friend.

*Hang up on robocalls. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up and report it to the FTC. These calls are illegal, and often the products are bogus. Don’t press 1 to speak to a person or to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls.

*Be skeptical about free trial offers. Some companies use free trials to sign you up for products and bill you every month until you cancel. Before you agree to a free trial, research the company and read the cancellation policy. And always review your monthly statements for charges you don’t recognize.

*Don’t deposit a check that may be fake and wire money back. By law, banks must make funds from deposited checks available within days, but uncovering a fake check can take weeks. If a check you deposit turns out to be a fake, you’re responsible for repaying the bank.

If you spot a scam, report it at ftc.gov/complaint. Your reports help the FTC and other law enforcement investigate scams and bring crooks to justice.

You can sign up for free scam alerts from the FTC at http://www.ftc.gov/scams. Get the latest tips and advice about scams sent right to your inbox.

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SCAMS BULLETIN Host is Jay White

November 3, 2019

PUBLIC WI-FI SCAMS.

It’s common for public gathering spots like coffee shops, grocery stores and airports to offer visitors an internet connection via free Wi-Fi networks.

It’s a great modern convenience, but also a risky one. Many public networks lack strong security protections, which makes it easy for tech-savvy scammers to break into them and take advantage of unwary users.  Many users are doing more than just looking up restaurants or checking the weather.

They are using it to check personal email or social networking sites such as Facebook, to do banking online, and purchase products or services with a credit card.

That kind of activity increases the risk of identity theft by cybercrooks who exploit public networks’ security gaps to invade your phone, tablet or laptop.

That doesn’t mean that you should never use public Wi-Fi, but it pays to be careful and follow some basic precautions.

Warning Signs:

A public Wi-Fi network lets you log on without entering a password. That means it probably isn’t secure.

The network has a generic-sounding name like “Free Public Wi-Fi.”

You’re asked to pay to use the connection.

Do’s:

Do check your device’s settings to make sure that it isn’t set to automatically connect to any available Wi-Fi network.

Do ask the staff at an establishment that offers free Wi-Fi for the exact name of its network, and make sure that’s the one you’re using.

Do be careful about what you do on public Wi-Fi networks. It’s generally OK to browse the web and check news, weather or traffic.

Do consider tethering your laptop to your phone and using your mobile provider’s data network instead of using public Wi-Fi. You may incur charges, but you’ll be more secure.

Do consider signing up for a virtual private network, or VPN, if you travel extensively or use public Wi-Fi often. It will encrypt your data, even on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.

Don’ts:

Don’t use a public Wi-Fi network to do online banking, make purchases, check email or use social media.

Don’t trust that your mobile apps will be secure on a public network. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cautions that many apps don’t encrypt information properly. It’s better to use them on your mobile provider’s data network.

Don’t use the same password for all of your accounts and websites. That makes it easy for a crook who steals one password to gain access to other accounts.

Don’t stay permanently signed in to your online accounts. The FTC recommends that you log out once you’re finished doing what you need to do.

Attribution AARP

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is a volunteer attorney who provides free legal services for low income seniors in San Mateo County, California.

November 3, 2019

PHONY SKIN LIGHTENING PRODUCTS.

The US Food and Drug Administration warns consumers to beware of products alleged to lighten or whiten their complexion. These products, which include both injectable whitening and skin bleaching products, are potentially unsafe, ineffective, and might contain unknown harmful ingredients or contaminants.

Injectable skin whitening products are marketed for injection into a vein or muscle or under the skin. They are sold online and in some retail outlets and health spas. They often promise to lighten the skin, correct uneven skin tone, and reduce blemishes. Some products even claim to treat conditions such as liver disorders and Parkinson’s disease.

These phony products are unapproved and are not condoned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  They can cause disease, infection, and result in serious injury.

If you have questions about particular skin conditions, consult a health care professional. There are certain FDA-approved topical drug products to treat certain skin conditions, for example, hyperpigmentation (which causes the skin to darken) and melasma (which causes patches on the face).

What You Should Do

Consumers should consult with their health care practitioner before deciding to use any new skin lightening drug product.

If you have used any skin lightening product and are experiencing side effects, consult a doctor as soon as possible. You or your doctor can also report an illness or injury you believe to be related to the use of these products by calling 1-800-FDA-1088 or visiting FDA online at http://www.fda.gov.

Attb: FDA

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