Amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I urge you to slow down. Not so much to smell the roses, but rather, from a practical standpoint, to be vigilant against people who could do you harm.
Scammers count on us being distracted and easily worried. This is especially true around the holiday season. Fraudsters aim to take advantage of us by getting us to take some action that we wouldn’t have if we knew who they really were.
All year round, I offer scam prevention workshops to Nassau County residents, and now, with the holidays upon us, I’d like to share these practical and easy tips with you:
- Do not answer calls from unknown numbers or callers not in your Contacts list. If it’s important, they will leave a message.
- If you do answer and the caller (or text message or email) claims to be from your bank, a government agency, or a credit company, do not assume this to be true. Hang up and call the toll-free number on the back of your bank/credit/membership card or a recent statement and ask them if there is a problem with your account.
- Do not click on links in text messages or emails from unknown senders; they can install malware on your device or take you to harmful websites.
- Nothing is free. If a caller tells you that you have won a prize but you have to pay a fee to claim it, hang up – it’s a scam!
- Never send funds – not cash or checks, gift cards or wire transfers – to anyone you are not 100 percent sure of. Never!
- Great investments don’t come in from random strangers. If someone pitches you an investment that sounds too good to be true (like a great guaranteed return), it’s probably a scam!
There is no way of fully protecting yourself from being scammed, but you can use these simple tools to help.
Slow down, let calls go to voicemail, and then research and verify. Call a family member, friend or your local police precinct for help. Don’t be embarrassed by your uncertainty – these are professionals. Above all, do not send money or disclose personal information.
Helpful Phone Numbers
If someone calls you claiming to be from the IRS: Call the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration: 1(800) 366-4484
If someone calls you claiming to be from Social Security: Call the SSA Office of the Inspector General at 1(800) 269-0271
If someone calls you claiming to be from Medicare: Call Medicare customer service at 1 (800) MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
If someone calls you soliciting a donation to a charity: Call the New York State Charities Bureau: 1(212) 416-8401
If you know of an organization that would be interested in a scam workshop, please contact my office at (516) 571-2386 or NCcomptroller@nassaucountyny.gov.
