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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.
JOIN THE MAILING LIST. We are sharing the first Senior Scam Alert of 2017 with the entire Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County e-mail list.
If you would like to be added to the regular list for monthly updates, please email Communications Manager Brian Burns:
[email protected], and ask to be added to the list for the Senior Scam Alert. And if you'd rather not be added to the list, that's fine: no need to respond, you won't receive this again.
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Amazon gift cards are a popular means of online purchases. Scammers have taken this as an opportunity to commit fraud. This applies to not only to small items: it may include cars, motorcycles, boats, RVs and tractors.
Posing as sellers, scammers say they need to sell a car fast - maybe they're in the military or about to deploy. They tell you to pay with an Amazon gift card.
Scammers also might ask you to use Amazon gift cards, or cards from other vendors like iTunes, to pay for electronics, taxes, bail money, debts, or utility or cable bills--they will even claim to be representing the IRS.
Don't do it. Amazon gift cards aren't a legitimate way to pay someone - you can only use them at Amazon.com. So if someone asks you to pay with an Amazon gift card, it's a scam. If you share the code from an Amazon gift card with someone, you're giving that person control of the money on the card. By the time you realize it's a scam and report it, the money will likely be gone.
If you gave someone the code from an Amazon gift card, log into your Amazon account and contact Amazon Customer Service, or call them at 1-888-280-4331. Tell them what happened and ask if they can disable the card.
If you hear from someone who wants you to pay with an Amazon gift card, don't do it and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at
www.FTC.gov
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The Federal Trade Commission has received reports of consumers calling, or being called by, fake numbers claiming to offer "Yahoo customer care services" for a fee.
Yahoo does not charge for customer service. Yahoo will never ask you to pay to have your Yahoo password reset, for technical support, or help with security concerns. Yahoo won't ask to remotely connect to your computer for any support-related request.
Yahoo warns that any phone number you come across, or receive a call from, claiming to connect you with Yahoo customer care is a fake.
Yahoo customer support is always free of charge. If you have issues with your account, go to Settings / Help for guidance.
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Tax Deferment for Senior Homeowners
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In addition to providing warnings to our readership about scams and fraud, we're also pleased when we can share some positive information:
The California Legislature has renewed property tax deferment assistance for eligible senior homeowners that had been discontinued in 2009.
To be eligible for property tax deferment, a homeowner must be at least 62 years of age, or blind, have at least 40 percent equity in the property, occupy the home as the primary residence, have household income of $35,000 or less, among other requirements.
The interest rate for postponed taxes is seven percent per year. Postponed taxes and interest become due and payable when the homeowner moves or sells the property, transfers title, defaults on a senior lien, refinances, obtains a reverse mortgage, or passes away.
More information and program application can be obtained by calling the State Controller's Office at 1-800-952-5661, or logging onto
http://www.sco.ca.gov.
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