November is not only dedicated to being grateful for all our blessings, it is also thousands of veterans who have served our country. As the daughter of a career Army man, I am particularly grateful to the men and women and their families who have served so honorably and selflessly to ensure the safety of our great country. We have many veterans in our office, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them and acknowledge their important service and the sacrifices they and their families have made over the years. 

According to a new AARP report, veterans, active military, and their families are nearly 40% more likely to lose money to scams and fraud than the civilian population. Additionally, four out of five military/veteran adults were targeted by scams directly related to their military service or the benefits they receive.

Please be safe and enjoy this Thanksgiving. I am grateful to serve as your elected District Attorney.

Beth
Your Scam Spottings

FACEBOOK QUIZZES -- ARE THEY HARMLESS?

A reader of Scam Spotter sent this in:

"Is there any harm in participating in those Facebook 'just for fun' games?"

Seemingly harmless quick quizzes abound on social media. They innocently ask you to name your first pet, your first grade teacher's name, the street you grew up on, etc. One popular quiz asks you to combine your first pet's name with your mother's maiden name to come up with your stage name.

Scammers use these games and quizzes to trick you in to providing hints to your passwords.

The best practice is not to play at all. Identity thieves are data mining for this information and can sort social media posts by subject as well as track your information.

Read more about these quizzes here and here.

Send in your questions about scams to amc@denverda.org
VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE PARTICULARLY SUSEPTIBLE TO SCAMS AND IDENTIY THEFT
Veterans and their families experience a disproportionate loss of money to scams and identity theft compared to civilian consumers according to published reports by AARP and the BBB. It is difficult to determine exactly why, other than to note they receive even more robo and scam calls than non-military people. The median loss to fraud for all consumers is $115 compared to veterans median loss of $133 and their spouses with a median loss of $132. 

Read the BBB report here and the AARP with helpful tips on how to lower the risks in the report here.
HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGY IN THE WINDOW?
Too much according to the FTC. As the holidays approach and the urge to fulfill your desire for a new furry friend grows, the scammers are lurking with FREE or great deals on a pet. Some scams end up with you paying and no pet to show for it. Take the time to do your research especially when you come across a deal too good to be true. You might even consider rescuing a pet from your local animal shelter. Make sure that your new pet ends up safe and sound in its new home.

Free Presentations
Stand-Up Against Fraud and Scams

Call to schedule a Stand-Up Against Fraud presentation to learn more about scams happening in our area.
Contact:

Maro Casparian | amc@denver|
720-913-9036
Think You've Been Scammed?

Do you suspect you've been scammed or exploited? Report it to:

The Denver DA's
FRAUD HOTLINE
720.913.9179