A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

October 26, 2021

FREE EMERGENCY DEVICE SCAM

Courtesy Federal Communications Commission

Emergency broadband program impersonators

Have you seen ads on social media that offer to “help” you sign up for a government program that will give you a “free” device and internet service in exchange for money or personal information? If so, that’s a scam.

While there is a real government program to help people connect during the pandemic, there’s no payment required to enroll. The real government program is the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. Aimed at helping households connect during the COVID-19 pandemic, it gives individual persons a one-time discount to help them buy a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. The program also gives people monthly discounts for internet service. It’s free to sign up for this program.

Government impersonators can look and sound real — using things like government names (in this case, the FCC, Federal Communications Commission) to convince you to open your pockets or share your personal information.

 Here are ways to guard against attempts to impersonate the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program:

*Only apply through the FCC and its listed providers. The only way to sign up for the Emergency Broadband Benefits Program is at GetEmergencyBroadband.org. If another company says it can sign you up for this program, check first to see if they’re an approved provider.

*Never pay to sign up to get benefits. The Emergency Broadband Benefit program is free to sign up for those who qualify.

*Don’t give your financial or other personal information to someone who calls, texts, or emails and says they’re with the FCC. If you think a call or message could be real, stop. Call the Emergency Broadband Support Center at 1-833-511-0311 to check.

Did you pay a scammer? If so, act quickly to try to get your money back. If you think someone has gotten into your accounts or has your personal information, visit http://www.IdentityTheft.gov for steps to learn if your identity has been misused, and how to report and recover from identity theft.

This scam can be reported to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

October 22, 2021

FAKE AMAZON IMPERSONATORS

Courtesy Federal Trade Commission

Has Amazon contacted you to confirm a recent purchase you didn’t make or to tell you that your account has been hacked? According to the FTC’s new Data Spotlight, since July 2020, about one in three people have reported a fake Amazon impersonator scam.

These scams can look a few different ways. In one version, scammers offer to “refund” you for an unauthorized purchase but “accidentally transfer” more than promised. They then ask you to send back the difference. What really happens? The scammer moves your own money from one of your bank accounts to the other (like your Savings to Checking, or vice versa) to make it look like you were refunded. Any money you might send back to “Amazon” is your money (not an overpayment) — and as soon as you send it out of your account, it becomes theirs. In another version of the scam, you’re told that hackers have gotten access to your account — and the only way to supposedly protect it is to buy gift cards and share the gift card number and PIN on the back. Once that information is theirs, the money is, too.

Here are some ways to guard against an Amazon impersonator scam:

*Never call back an unknown number. Use the information on Amazon’s website and not a number listed in an unexpected email or text.

*Don’t pay for anything with a gift card. Gift cards are for gifts. If anyone asks you to pay with a gift card – or buy gift cards for anything other than a gift, it’s a scam.

*Don’t give remote access to someone who contacts you unexpectedly. This gives scammers easy access to your personal and financial information—like access to your bank accounts.

*Have you spotted this scam? Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

*If you think someone has gotten access to your accounts or personal information, visit IdentityTheft.gov. There, you’ll find steps to take to see if your identity has been misused, and how to report and possibly recover from identity theft.

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San San Mateo County, California.

October 20, 2021

MEDICARE ENROLLMENT FRAUD

Courtesy US Federal Trade Commission

Medicare is a national health insurance program in the United States. It primarily provides health insurance for Americans aged 65 and older, but also for some younger persons with disability status as determined by the Social Security Administration including those with end stage renal disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease).

Scammers might call and pretend to be Medicare representatives or agents to steal your Medicare number or other personal information. They can use a fake CallerID name to impersonate Medicare or another organization you know. Don’t trust the name displayed on your phone’s CallerID screen. If anyone calls and asks for your Medicare, Social Security, or bank or credit card information, don’t respond—hang up. A scammer can use your personal information to file false claims, sign you up for a plan to which you didn’t agree, or even steal your identity.

During Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (OEP), which begins on October 15 and ends December 7, Medicare beneficiaries can choose the plans that are best for them for 2022. You can get help comparing Medicare plans from your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), available in each U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia. Private insurance companies administer, market, and sell Medicare Advantage (MA, Part C) and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), so it’s important to understand your rights and some of the limits on marketing. That way you’ll be prepared if an insurance broker or agent tries to enroll you in a Medicare plan that isn’t right for you.

Know your rights:

*If you request an appointment with an agent to visit or call to talk about your Medicare coverage options, remember you have certain rights and agents must follow the law:

*Agents must give you information only about items listed in the scope of appointment form you filled out when you asked for an appointment. They can’t talk about other Medicare or insurance products that you didn’t ask to talk about.

*Agents can’t set their own time limits for you to sign up for a plan. Everyone has until December 7 to enroll, and there aren’t any extra benefits for signing up early.

*They can’t threaten to take away your benefits if you don’t sign up for a plan or offer you gifts if you agree to sign up.

*Agents cannot suggest that Medicare endorses or prefers their plan.

*After you pick the plan that’s right for you, be sure you get all the details in writing before you sign up. Take your time to read all information and verify details. For example, before you sign up, reach out to your doctors to ensure they are in that plan’s network.

Report a marketing violation:

There are limits on how companies and agents selling Medicare plans can contact you and what they can say. For example:

You should never get a phone call from a company you don’t have a relationship with.

A company must not represent itself as Medicare, Social Security, or Medicaid.

You shouldn’t get information — like leaflets, flyers, door hangers, etc. — on your car or at home from a company you don’t have an appointment with.

An agent can’t come back to your home without an invitation.

They can’t mislead you about coverage for prescriptions or services. Always review your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to be sure your coverage matches what was promised.

They can’t promise that you can keep your Medigap plan (supplemental plan) when you sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan. The truth is, you can’t have both a Medigap plan and a Medicare Advantage plan.

If you notice one of these marketing violations, please tell your local Senior Medicare Patrol or contact the Federal Trade Commission at: www.ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

For more information and help reporting Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse, visit smpresource.org or call 1-877-808-2468. To report an impersonator who pretended to be from Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE and visit ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you think someone misused your personal or financial information, report it at IdentityTheft.gov and start on a recovery plan.

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

October 12, 2021

YOUR ACCOUNT SCAMS

Courtesy AARP

If you use a bank, shop, watch movies or stream music online, you may receive emails from the digital companies you do business with touting new products or alerting you to changes in their terms of service.

The fake email or text might seem genuine at first with familiar corporate branding at the top. But if a message appearing to be from, say, Apple, Netflix, Amazon or PayPal warns of a problem with your account you should proceed with caution: It is likely a phishing scam aiming to hook your personal data.

Legitimate online companies may contact you about a genuine issue with your account — for example, if the credit card you use for payment has expired. But they will not ask in an email or text for your login information, Social Security number or financial data. If you have any reason to believe there is a real problem, contact the company’s customer service department or check your account status on its genuine website or app.

The scammer message may be: You need to “update” or “verify” your login or billing information, which you can post by clicking a link or following the instructions in an attachment. (In a variation on the scam message it might include a phony invoice or receipt and ask you to confirm or dispute a purchase.)

Warning Signs:

*Instead of addressing you by name it may greet you generically (“Dear Amazon Customer,” for example), or not at all. The message will vary: “A payment has failed. There is a problem with your order. We lost your customer data. We’ve detected suspicious activity and locked your account”.

*The sender’s email address does not include the correct corporate domain (for example, @netflix.com or @paypal.com). If there is any variation after the “@,” such as extra characters or words, it’s probably not from the company.

*The email seeks login credentials such as username and password, personal data like your Social Security number, or billing info like bank account or credit card numbers.

*The email includes typos, bad grammar or foreign spellings (for example, “centre” instead of “center”).

*You are urged to act quickly, at the risk of losing your account.

Dos:

*Do hover your cursor over links in the body of the email. This will reveal the true destination URL. If the link is unfamiliar, do not click it.

*Do only use a company’s official website or app to update account information such as passwords or payment methods.

*Do contact the company directly, through an official website or customer service line, if you have concerns about an email or text message you received.

*Do use antivirus software and keep it up to date. Activate firewalls and other settings that block malicious files.

Don’ts:

*Do not open documents or download files from suspicious emails. They could install malware on your device.

*Do not click on links or open attachments to “update,” “unlock” or “verify” an account. Go to the company’s website or app to check your account status.

*Do not click on a link or call a phone number in a text “alert” to verify your identity or account status.

*Do not reveal personal or financial information in response to an unsolicited email. Legitimate companies will not ask you to provide sensitive data in an email.

Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

October 5, 2021

REVERSE MORTGAGE SCAM

Courtesy AARP

A reverse mortgage is a type of loan that’s designed to give people access to the equity they’ve built up in their home — basically, the property’s current value minus any outstanding loans or liens — without having to sell it. The borrower gets what is, in effect, a tax-free advance on their equity, in the form of a line of credit, fixed monthly payments or a lump sum.

For most reverse mortgages, the proceeds must be used to pay off any existing mortgage; the remainder of the loan comes due when the owner moves, sells the house or dies. 

For some older homeowners, a reverse mortgage can be a way to supplement retirement income, consolidate debts or cover expenses like health care. For scam artists, they can be a lucrative tool to fleece people who are age 62 and over out of large sums of money, or even their homes.

Reverse mortgages are complex, and they can be risky. Fraudsters take advantage of that complexity to draw older homeowners into bad or outright bogus deals. Marketing may be in ads and “investment seminars” as a cure-all for financial worries in golden years, providing “free” income or a means to delay filing for Social Security.

It’s often a group effort, with unscrupulous mortgage brokers or financial advisers joining forces with corrupt appraisers, attorneys and loan officers. They’ll finagle an inflated appraisal of a home’s value, thus inflating the equity and the potential loan, and try to persuade the owner to take out a reverse mortgage.

The fraudsters might try to sell a victim on a supposedly can’t-miss investment or financial product. They may charge fees running into the thousands of dollars to provide information about reverse mortgages that’s available for free from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Warning Signs:

*A broker or lender uses high-pressure tactics to try to talk you into a reverse mortgage.

*They claim the loan is safe because it’s insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The FHA does insure some reverse mortgages, but that coverage doesn’t protect the borrower; it’s for the lender, in case of default.

*They don’t disclose the fees, conditions and risks that come with taking out a reverse mortgage, including the possible loss of the home, which serves as collateral.

Do’s:

*Do get information on reverse mortgages from reputable sources, such as HUD or the Federal Trade Commission.

*Do talk to a trusted financial adviser or attorney before you sign anything. If the reverse mortgage is a federally insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), as most are, you are required by law to meet with a government-approved counselor before signing.

*Do be wary if someone selling home improvement services suggests taking out a reverse mortgage to pay for renovations or repairs.

*Do be suspicious of claims that a reverse mortgage will get you free income or a free home.

*Do know that you usually have the right to cancel a reverse mortgage within three days after closing.

Don’ts:

*Don’t respond to unsolicited advertisements pushing reverse mortgages.

*Don’t sign any loan paperwork that you don’t completely understand—read the “fine print”.

*Don’t buy other financial products, services or investments to obtain a reverse mortgage.

*Don’t take out a reverse mortgage using just one spouse as the borrower. A reverse mortgage in one borrower’s name comes due when that person dies, and the surviving spouse could face collection proceedings and lose the home.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline 877-908-3360 is free.

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September 28, 2021

MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT

Courtesy AARP

Medical identity theft is when someone uses your personal information, especially a Medicare or health insurance number, to get treatment, prescriptions or medical devices, submit claims, or obtain benefits under your name.

It can cost far more than purely financial identity theft. Federal law generally limits consumers’ liability for fraudulent credit card charges to $50, but there are no such protections for a stolen medical identity.

It may be considerably harder to undo the damage. Financial and personal complications “can endure for years,” the World Privacy Forum said in a 2017 report, with many victims suffering “long term problems with aggressive medical debt collection” and severely impaired credit due to phony bills. Some even have faced prosecution because thieves used their identities to stockpile prescription drugs.

It can harm your health as well as your finances, potentially causing treatment delays, incorrect prescriptions and misdiagnoses. As the FTC notes, “If a scammer gets treatment in your name, that person’s health problems could become a part of your medical record. It could affect your ability to get medical care and insurance benefits. It could even affect decisions made by doctors treating you later.

Health information can be obtained by differing means: impostor scams, phishing, data breaches, fake offers of medical freebies, even crooks stealing your mail or going through your trash. But it’s often a matter of “friendly fraud” by a relative or someone else they knew.

Warning Signs:

You get a bill for medical services you didn’t receive.

You hear from a debt collector about a medical debt you didn’t incur.

Your credit report includes health care expenditures you don’t recognize.

An explanation of benefits (EOB) from your insurer or a Medicare Summary Notice includes office visits you didn’t make or treatment you didn’t receive.

Your health plan says you’ve reached your benefit limit, citing treatment or services you did not get.

Someone asks in a call or email for your Medicare or insurance number as part of a health care “survey” or offer of free medical products or services.

Do’s:

Do shred outdated insurance forms, physician statements, prescription paperwork and other documents containing medical information before throwing them out. Keep electronic copies of such records secure.

Do carefully review EOBs, bills and other correspondence from insurers and medical providers. If you see anything suspicious, such as a doctor’s name or treatment date you don’t recognize, notify your insurer immediately.

Do ask your insurer at least once a year for a full list of benefits paid in your name.

Do check your credit reports. You can get one free report per year from each of the three reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion).

Do get copies of your medical files if you believe you’ve been victimized, and act quickly to correct mistakes (see More Resources, below). You have a right to get your records from health care providers, although you may have to pay for them.

Do file a police report, and give copies to your medical providers, insurers and the credit bureaus. It can help protect you if an identity thief starts using your information for fraud.

Don’ts:

Don’t jump on offers of free health services or products, especially if accompanied by a request for your Medicare or health plan number.

Don’t provide medical or insurance information over the phone or in an email unless you initiated the communication and are certain of whom you’re dealing with.

Don’t give medical or personal information in response to an unsolicited call or email from someone who claims to be from Medicare. A Medicare representative may call only if you initiated contact.

Don’t answer questions from a caller who says he or she is conducting a health survey and needs your Medicare or insurance number.

Don’t give your insurance information to a family member or friend, even if it’s to help them get treatment. Whatever the intent, it’s considered fraud against medical providers and insurers.

Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETING Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

September 23, 2021.

PHONY GREENWASHED PRODUCTS

Courtesy Scambusters

Greenwashing is a new take on fake news.

Greenwashing is defined by Investopedia as “an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly.” It happens when businesses and other organizations make false or misleading claims about being eco-friendly.

By saying they’re ecologically sound they may increase their prices by suggesting it costs them more to go green. There are many vague and misleading green marketing claims and a few that are outright false.

They’re aiming at you if you’re the type of consumer who cares about ecologically sound products, preferring to do business with firms whose ideals you share.

“Greenwashing is a harmful and deceitful way of advertising that a company is greener than it is. When it happens, the company should be called out and forced to account for their actions,” says environmental watchdog Earth.org.

 Greenwashing Tricks:

*Hidden trade-offs where a producer promotes a single eco benefit that was achieved by ignoring other environmental concerns.

*Claims that simply can’t be proved. For example, saying that a product has or has not been tested on animals but providing no supporting evidence.

*Vagueness — confusing, misleading claims such as “chemical-free.” Ultimately, everything, even plants created by nature, is made of chemicals! Or using words like “made from recycled products” without saying how much is reused.

*Irrelevance — claims that may be true but don’t have much meaning. For example, claiming a product is free of ozone-damaging chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is irrelevant since CFCs are banned globally.

“Lesser of two evils” — promoting the eco-friendliness of one aspect of a product, while ignoring another; for instance, so-called green herbicides or organic tobaccos.

*Telling lies! Yes, some firms have been caught out doing just that, especially making claims to be certified by organizations like USDA, Energy Star, or official testing and quality control labs.

Reports can be made to Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov.

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

September 18, 2021

PROFSSIONAL LICENSE SUSPENSION SCAM

It’s troublesome stuff.

Scammers have put together an elaborate scheme to target professionals — people in the medical, teaching, counseling, and business sectors who need a license to practice.

The crooks use a three-pronged attack, first pretending to be an investigator from the licensing authority for their profession, then a higher-level chief investigator, and finally the fake FBI. In other cases, the crooks claim to belong to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

They often bombard their targets with a series of phone calls and text messages, sometimes all joining in on a telephone conference call.

The scammers warn that the victim’s license is at risk of being suspended. The warning is followed by what seems to be an official notification that arrives by special delivery.

A faked letter looks as though it comes from the state licensing department. It may tell the recipient that their bank account has been linked to a money-laundering operation — the proceeds of an international drug smuggling gang — and that several other accounts have been opened in their name.

To make it more convincing, the letter usually includes key information about the victim, including their license number.

Then, the victim is offered the choice of either going to jail to await trial or to pay for and sign a Department of Justice Treasury bond.

As with so many scams, targets are told they must wire money, supposedly to pay for the bond, and then apply to have their license reinstated. They’re also told not to discuss the situation with anybody.

Wired money is usually untraceable, and the request for secrecy is intended to keep better informed people from spotting the scam.

Licenses are also the focus of a much simpler scam targeting professionals across the nation. The crooks simply phone their victims and demand a fee to activate their license.

Key Defensive Actions:

*If you’re a licensed professional, here are five key actions you can take to avoid being scammed:

*First, if you receive this type of threat, immediately contact your state licensing board to check if the warning was genuine.

*Don’t take the use of personal information, including your license details, as evidence of authenticity. Scammers have no problem getting hold of this sort of data.

*Never wire money to someone you don’t know or who hasn’t proved they are genuine.

*Do not respond to anyone who threatens jail if you don’t pay up immediately. Neither the police nor licensing bureaus behave in this way.

The crooks may also ask for confidential information, including Social Security numbers. Don’t give any such detail to someone you don’t know.

Most importantly, don’t let fear drive you into behaving impulsively and irrationally. Scammers know that professionals can only legally do their job if they have a license and that the fear of suspension can spark a panic. Stay calm.

Courtesy: Scambusters.org

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

September 4, 2021

POST-DISASTER SCAMS

Courtesy AARP

Disasters can bring out the best in people as neighbors and strangers alike roll up their sleeves and open their wallets to help those recovering. They also bring out the worst in scammers, for whom others’ misfortune is just a chance to make a fast buck. This includes aftermath of hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, explosions and chemical spills.

Disaster fraudsters often prey directly on those struggling to recover from extreme events. Specious contractors descend on affected communities, offering quick, cheap fixes for battered homes and businesses or rapid removal of debris—for payment up front. Since many lack local licensing, your homeowner’s insurance might not cover it. Others are outright scammers who take your money and run.

In another “post-disaster” con game, fraudsters claim to work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or other government bodies. They contact victims with promises of grants, building permits or help speeding up insurance claims—if you pay a deposit or fee up front. A genuine FEMA inspector will not ask for money or personal information. Scammers may also pose as a claimed public insurance adjuster, charging high fees for doubtful damage assessments or directing you to disreputable contractors with whom they’re in league.

Warning Signs:

*A contractor offers to do post-disaster work on the spot and asks for payment in advance.

*A claimed government agent asks for payment to do an inspection or help you apply for disaster assistance.

*You receive a call from someone asking to verify your FEMA registration when you have not yet applied to the agency for assistance.

*A phony disaster charity’s name or web address resembles but does not quite match that of an established aid organization, and its website offers few details about it (for example, its leadership, physical location or history of relief work).

Dos:

Do due diligence before hiring a contractor. Get references, look up their local Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile and check that they are licensed with your state. Make sure they carry liability and workmen’s compensation coverage.

Do get detailed written estimates for repairs. Read contracts thoroughly before signing and keep copies Look for a business name and phone number of all paperwork.

Do make sure, before repair work starts, that your insurance company will cover it.

Do verify that a claimed public adjuster seeking to handle your claim is licensed. You can check that with your state’s insurance department.

Don’t give personal or financial data to someone claiming to be from FEMA. The agency may ask for Social Security and bank account numbers when you apply for disaster assistance online or by phone, but a FEMA representative will not do so in person.

Ask to see a purported FEMA representative’s official ID. A real agent will have a laminated photo badge. If you want to double-check, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Don’ts:

Don’t agree to door solicitations for donations or repairs. Even if they seem legitimate, ask for more information rather than giving money on the spot.

Don’t sign over insurance checks to contractors or sign documents giving them rights to your insurance claims.

Don’t donate by text before checking with the charity to confirm the number.

Don’t take disaster solicitations on social media or crowdfunding sites at face value. Research the messenger before hitting the “donate” button.

Don’t be swayed by vague, sentimental appeals. Ask for specifics about how the charity helps disaster victims.

Don’t click on links or open attachments in email and social media solicitations unless you’re sure who sent them. They could be delivery systems for malware.

Bogus Charities:

Disasters also unleash a torrent of bogus charities. They pump out calls, text, emails and social media posts soliciting donations for relief work. Other faux fundraisers imply a connection to well-known aid organizations like the Red Cross or Oxfam.

Check a charities bona fides with a proven track record of disaster work before donating. Use online resources like Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, GuideStar or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance.

More information on spotting charity scams can be found in the AARP Fraud Resource Center.

You can call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360.

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

August 29, 2021

SWEEPSTAKES AND LOTTERY SCAMS

Courtesy AARP

Have you seen this scam?

 Who wouldn’t want to win thousands or even millions of dollars, or the chance to go on a luxury vacation? The idea of winning some fabulous prize can be mighty alluring. Con artists know that, and they exploit your eagerness to score that big check or dream trip.

In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 116,000 reports of fraud involving prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries that swindled the unwary out of $166 million. The median loss was $1,000.

Older people are popular targets: According to an August 2020 Better Business Bureau study, 80 percent of the money lost to sweepstakes scammers comes from people over age 65.

The initial contact in a sweepstakes scam is often a call, an email, a social media notification or a piece of direct mail offering congratulations for winning some big contest. But there’s a catch: You’ll be asked to pay a fee, taxes or customs duties to claim your prize. The scammers may request your bank account information, urge you to send money via a wire transfer, or suggest you purchase gift cards and give them the card numbers.

Regardless of the method, once scammers ensnare someone they’ll keep coming back, calling victims for months or even years, promising the big prize is only one payment away. They may threaten to harm you or a loved one or report you to authorities for no legitimate reason.

Warning Signs:

*You get a call or an online solicitation claiming you were automatically entered in a sweepstakes you’ve never heard of before.

*You’re told you need to make an upfront payment to collect the prize.

*Someone calls you and says they have a winning state lottery ticket but needs help paying a fee to collect on it.

Do’s:

*Do look carefully at the envelopes or purported sweepstakes mailers. If your entry form or congratulations letter was sent bulk rate, it means a lot of other people got the same mailing.

*Do hang up on cold calls claiming to be from well-known contests like the Mega Millions lottery or Publishers Clearing House (PCH) sweepstakes. They will not call you out of the blue to tell you you’ve won.

*Do read the fine print on a contest form and make sure it isn’t missing legally required information such as the start and end dates of the contest, the methods of entry, descriptions of prizes and various legal disclaimers. If that stuff isn’t there, something is funny.

*Do beware your own eagerness. An FTC survey found that those who reported a high willingness to take risks were three times more likely to become victims of fraudulent prize promotions than those with a low willingness.

Don’ts:

*Don’t pay a fee to claim a prize you’ve supposedly won or to improve your chances of winning.

*Don’t wire money to or share gift card numbers with someone claiming to represent a contest or lottery. “Both payment methods are a sure sign of a scam,” the FTC warns.

*Don’t provide personal or financial information to anyone who contacts you about a lottery prize.

*Don’t deposit supposed winnings that come in the form of a partial-payment check, accompanied by instructions to return a portion to the contest sponsors. The check will bounce, and you’ll likely have to repay your bank for any withdrawals from that deposit, including what you sent the scammers.

*Don’t believe social media messages or posts purporting to be from celebrities or business moguls offering a big cash giveaway.

*Don’t call a number with an 876, 809 or 284 area code to confirm that you’ve won a prize. Those codes belong to Caribbean countries (respectively, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and the British Virgin Islands) that have become hotbeds for contest frauds and other phone scams.

You can call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline 877-908-3360 for guidance.

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