Seniors ETC - In-home senior, parent, companion care, hospice support in Colorado

AARP has listed a consumer alert on ways to avoid telemarketer scams, and what to do if you fall for a “good deal” on a phone call. If you make a purchase that you later regret, and want to prevent unwanted phone calls:

Re-register for the do not call list.

Check caller ID before answering phone calls.

Never make an instant decision. Get a phone number and call back later after you’ve had time to think about it.

File a complaint if you receive unwanted calls.

Read more here>>

Ready or not, the holiday season is upon us. Malls and retail stores will be crowded with much hustle and bustle. The crowds, excitement, and activity can provide fertile ground for criminal activity. Lots of opportunities for distraction can occur. A Mom can go running after a tot, leaving shopping bags and/or a purse sitting unattended. The push-and-pull of people bumping into one another to catch the big sale can assist those who would desire to lift a wallet from a man’s back pocket or out of a purse that is carried open.  Checks, credit cards, and Driver’s License’s are laid on counters with a bevy of people nearby. Many retail outlets will hire short-term clerks for the holiday season; some may be bent on stealing personal information. Tis’ the season for wonderful times…and opportunity for crime. Some suggestions:

• Never leave anything openly sitting in a car. Do not get out of a car and clearly place a purse, etc., in the trunk of your car;
• Take receipts and place them in your purse, wallet, or pocket. Do not leave them in shopping bags. Even though Colorado statute prohibits printing a whole credit card number on a receipt, many businesses still do so;
• Be aware of your surroundings. Watch for ‘shoulder surfers’ who are looking to capture bank account numbers from checks or credit card information;
• Reduce your use of checks. Use your debit card, with a PIN, and cover the Keypad when you enter your PIN;
• Try to avoid becoming distracted. Keep your purse in sight; better yet, carry economic information in a waist pack or pocket;
• To the best of your ability, keep your eye on your credit card; in restaurants or retail stores, take an extra moment to make sure you own credit card returned to you;
• Be wary of strangers who want to engage you in conversation. Sure it’s the holiday season and we all want to be friendly; however, crooks may try to distract you to steal personal information;
• Check your bank and credit card statements carefully. You have 30 days to report fraudulent bank charges and 60 days to report fraudulent credit card charges. Remember, crooks do not need to steal your checks or credit card to fraudulently use these financial instruments.

Source: Office of Jefferson/Gilpin Counties District Attorney Scott Storey

It’s enrollment season for 2008 Medicare/Medicaid benefits.  Sometimes the telemarketers request Social Security, bank routing, or credit card numbers. These numbers in the wrong hands can easily lead to identity theft.  Telemarketers often say that they have information about new Medicare plans, and consumers can get confused that the solicitors represent Medicare. 

These are largely legitimate marketing efforts, but Medicare scams are always a threat.  A legitimate marketing company will not ask any personal information, such as Medicare numbers or bank routing numbers.  Medicare will NEVER call and ask for your Medicare number or bank routing information. 

Remember these tips:

- No one should come into your home uninvited.  If someone knocks on your door, don’t let them in unless you have an appointment.

- If you are on the Colorado NO CALL list, you should not get cold calls - only the provider with whom you have a relationship (i.e., Humana, Kaiser) may call you.  To register for NO CALL: www.coloradonocall.com or 1-800-309-7041.

- No one should ask you for personal information if they call you.  If you receive a marketing call, ask for the name of the caller, the name of the company and their phone number; then check with the Colorado Division of Insurance, to make sure it’s a valid insurance company. 

- Never give out personal information, such as your Medicare or bank number.

- Medicare Advantage plans have rules you must follow to get coverage.  Take time to review the full details of a plan BEFORE you sign any documents. Once enrolled in a plan, you can be locked into a choice for up to a year, unless you can show you received misleading information from the insurance salesperson.

- To report suspected incidents of Medicare fraud call the Colorado Division of Insurance’s SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol) at 303-894-2290 or 303-894-2268.

Need help?  Call the Consumer Protection Line: 720-874-8547

Home improvement scams are consistently rated a top consumer problem. Ask your friends and relatives for recommendations before selecting a contractor.

Always have a written, signed contract before any work is done on your home, which includes the following:

• Name, address and phone number of the bidding contractor;
• A complete description of the work to be done and the materials to be used;
• A provision requiring written approval for any changes;
• A guarantee as well as a start and completion date;
• A full description of the cost of the job, disclosure of payment terms, and financing costs;
• Your signature as well as the contractor’s signature.

Before signing any contract, make sure the builder or contractor uses licensed electricians and plumbers. Never hire a contractor who
does not provide workers’ compensation coverage for all their employees.

Source: Attorney General, State of Colorado

On June 16, 2007, the FBI announced that they had discovered and were going to inform over 1 million home computer users that their computer had been hijacked to become a botnet. Botnets are created by hackers and malware writers who infect computers with viruses and Trojans that let them remotely control and take over a computer. They amass untold numbers of zombie computers from which they launch massive waves of spam, malware, ‘phishing’ attacks, denial-of-service attacks, identity theft, and to hide images of child pornography. Owners of these zombie computers generally have no awareness or sign that their computer is infected and controlled, at will, by someone else. The computer will typically operate normally; sometimes it will operate considerably slower when infected.

There is an insidious Post Script to this problem. The FBI warns that there will most likely be scam campaigns where con artists pose as FBI agents asking for information about you and your ‘infected’ computer so they can assist to cure your problem.

A few suggestions:
* If you have a high-speed Internet connection, turn off your computer when not in use;
* The FBI will not contact victims online concerning this issue. Remember that a government agency, your bank and/or credit card company will not contact you by E-mail concerning financial or personal issues;
* Make sure you have a good firewall installed and that it is turned on. Personal Computer magazine (www.pcmag.com) may be a source to evaluate firewall programs. Additionally, the Website for the Kim Komando National Radio Computer Program (www.komando.com) will compare computer products and offer free downloads;
* Trend Micro, a computer software company, will provide a free analysis of your computer (they ask for a donation to a charity). Go to www.trendmicro.com and click on the ‘Housecalls’ icon. They will remotely scan your computer for viruses and other damaging infections.

For more assistance, call the
CASE Fraud Hotline: 303-271-6980

CASE is a Partnership of the District Attorney and the Community to Prevent Financial Exploitation