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Legal Aid's Senior Scam Alert Newsletter
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ATTORNEY JAY WHITE'S
SENIOR SCAM ALERT
Part of my work here at The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County is to make sure you are aware of scams out there so you can protect yourself and help spread the word.
Every month I'm going be sending you information about the scams I have been made aware of.
If a senior you know needs legal advice or counsel about a scam,
please don't hesitate to call Legal Aid at 1-650-558-0915.
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The US Food and Drug Administration recently issued a warning about products or treatments which claim to "cure" autism, a term which covers a range of conditions for which there is no known cure.
For those with family members who have had a diagnosis of autism, it can be tempting to try and find a "quick fix," but the therapies and products cited by the FDA are not only ineffective, but can actually endanger a patient's health.
They include:
- Chelation Therapies. These products claim to cleanse the body of toxic chemicals and heavy metals by binding to them and removing them from circulation. They come in a number of forms, including sprays, suppositories, capsules, liquid drops and clay baths.
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. This involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber.
- Detoxifying Clay Baths. Added to bath water these products are claimed to draw out chemical toxins, pollutants and heavy metals from the body.
- Camel Milk. Raw camel milk and certain oils have been marketed as a treatment for autism or autism-related symptoms.
The Food and Drug Administration urgently advises consulting with a qualified health care professional regarding any potential diagnosis of autism, or similar conditions, and to seek medical advice before buying or using any of these products.
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Bogus Emergency Plea For Money
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This scam with variations has been around for a long time.
A victim may receive communication, often in the form of an e-mail, from a relative, friend, or business associate, indicating that they are stranded in a foreign county with no money to buy a ticket home, or being held in a foreign jail needing money for bail. They will offer you some third-party way of getting money to that person, and have some excuse as to why you cannot speak with them directly (lost their cell phone, etc.). The urgent tone of the message is intended to trick you into sending money before you have time to think or investigate. Do not rush to take action.
The emergency request will come from an email address that seems legitimate, but that is only because your friend's email address has been hacked, and scammers are using it to send these bogus pleas. They will send the same message to everyone in the contact list, in the hope that at least one or two will be fooled.
Should you ever receive such a communication, do not respond without making some effort to verify the story: consider whether the story seems plausible, and if you can't directly call the person who supposedly emailed you, perhaps you have a phone number for one of their other friends or relatives who would know whether or not the person is actually traveling out of the country.
Ignoring the bogus email is usually best, but if you have any reason to think it might be valid, respond back asking for information that only your friend would have. And if you ultimately believe the story to be legitimate, contact local authorities before taking any action.
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Free Movies, Costly Malware
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An offer of a "free" download or stream of a popular movie, TV show, or video game may be enticing.
But the "free" downloaded content may have hidden costs. It may contain malware that can bombard you with ads, hijack your computer for nefarious purposes, or steal your personal information.
And if that is not enough to make you pause, remember that downloading or streaming such pirated content is illegal.
Finally, you may be asked to use your credit card to process your "free" registration.
Don't do it. Remember, the persons who do this are "pirates", not legitimate business people, and they may use your credit card information to run up bogus charges.
More than ever, there are legitimate sources for legally watching video product of all kinds: visit websites such as Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, and examine their entertainment packages: it's safer for your computer, and your personal information, as well as being the legal, and right, thing to do.
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Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
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