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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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With computer attacks such as "malware" and "ransomware" in the news every day, it's not surprising to see an increase in fraudulent promises for technical support to "fix" computer issues.
Tech support scams often start with a pop-up on a computer screen that wants you to call a designated number. A fraudster may state the matter is urgent and a call must be made immediately.
The fraudsters in these cases may send ominous pop-up messages that look like security warnings about things like viruses or malware, urging computer owners to call a phone number that falsely claims to be connected to well-known companies like Microsoft, Apple or Norton. They try to fool owners into thinking that there are serious problems with their computers.
They will then try to get remote access to computers to run a fake "diagnostic test." They try to get owners to pay for software or services they don't need, to "fix" problems that don't exist. Not only will these fixes fail to address any actual problems, they may expose the computer owner to the dangers of identity theft, as well as potentially damaging the computer.
If you get a pop-up, call, spam, email or any other apparent urgent message about a virus on your computer--stop! Don't download anything. Don't call the number on the pop-up, and don't give anyone control of your computer.
Instead, if you can, run any antivirus or other security programs you have installed yourself. If you can't access these programs, try to close the task, or shut down and contact customer support for you computer or software provider. If the antivirus program doesn't show any problems, and if you don't encounter any issues with normal computer operations, you should just ignore the fake offer for tech support. If the antivirus program does show problems, follow their directions to remove the threats, and contact their customer support department if you have further questions.
And to help others avoid such scams, you can report fraudulent tech support pop-ups and calls to:
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The U.S Food and Drug Administration cautions consumers to be wary of phony products claiming to cure cancer. The bogus claims may appear on websites or social media such as Facebook and Instagram.
The treatment of cancer is a difficult and challenging process, not something to be addressed with a simple online "Like."
Legitimate medical products, such as drugs and medical devices, must undergo rigorous testing to gain FDA approval before they are marketed or sold through approved retail channels, medical providers, etc.
Red flag language that may indicate a fraudulent product includes:
- Cures cancer
- Treats all forms of cancer
- Miraculously kills cancer cells and tumors
- Shrinks malignant tumors; Selectively kills cancer cells
- More effective than chemotherapy
- Attacks cancer cells, leaving healthy cells intact
Purported phony remedies may take the form of pills, capsules, powders, creams, teas, oils and treatment kits.
The FDA urges consumers to steer clear of these potentially unsafe and unproven products, and to always discuss cancer treatment options with their licensed health care provider.
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If you own a vehicle you may receive calls from scammers posing as representatives of a car dealer, manufacturer or insurer telling you that your auto warranty or insurance is about to expire. The call will include some sort of pitch for renewing your warranty or policy.
What makes it particularly hard to discern if this type of call is fraudulent is that the scammer may have specific information about your particular car and warranty that they use to deceive you into thinking they are a legitimate caller.
Do not provide any personal information that could be used to defraud you, such as a social security number, credit card information, driver's license number or bank account information to any caller unless you can verify you are dealing directly with a legitimate company. Telephone scammers are good at what they do and may imply that they work for a company you trust. Don't fall for it. Be extremely cautious.
If you have caller ID you can screen incoming calls. Legitimate telemarketers are required to transmit or display their phone number and the name and/or the phone number of the company they're representing. The display must include a phone number that you can call during regular business hours to ask that the company no longer call you.
You should be cautious even if a number appears authentic. Criminals may engage in caller ID "spoofing" - deliberately falsifying the information transmitted to your Caller ID display to disguise their identity. Avoid answering any calls you suspect may be spoofed.
Instead, contact your insurer or warranty provider directly, to determine if the call is legitimate.
Filing a complaint:
You can file a complaint with the FCC, at:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov,
about suspected scam calls.
In addition to being fraudulent in nature, these calls likely violate telemarketing and robocall rules. While the FCC does not award individual damages to consumers, your complaint may help identify scammers and allow law enforcement to take appropriate action.
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Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
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