Watch Out for Your Parents and Grandparents

On the FBI website, there are specific warnings for senior citizens: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/seniors.

Often targeted because they're homeowners or likely to have excellent credit, senior citizens were raised in a different era, where the snake oil peddler scams were in your face, and later in the mail. Today's Internet crimes and telephone scams are increasingly targeting our parents and grandparents.

It's not that they're stupid! They most certainly are not! However, some of our older relatives are simply not accustomed to the variety and sophistication of these scammers. Plus, seniors are likely to be too embarrassed to admit that they were victims of a scam and afraid that you'll think they're losing their marbles.

Look, there are plenty of young people who fall for the BULL DROPPINGS, so we can't blame our seniors for falling into the same traps. Watch out for your older family members and be sure to warn them when there's a new scam going around -- like the VISA scam in my previous post.

We all have to watch out for the BULL DROPPINGS! No one is immune to a scammer, we can only keep our eyes open and when your BS meter is ding-ding-dinging like a smoke alarm after you burnt the cookies, you can pretty much be sure that there's more than just smoke in your eyes!

Watch out for your parents and grandparents, you just never know when the newest scam will blindside you and them. And if they're being taken advantage of by a friend, family member, or new love interest, call your local Adult Protective Services. Sometimes APS can get the money or property back if you report it quickly. Elder abuse, physical, mental and financial, is a crime. Don't let your loved ones be victims!

The Bank Has Suspended My Account!

Oh my goodness, the bank has suspended my account! AGAIN!

Well, it might be true, if I actually had an account with this bank. But I sure wouldn't use their link, I'd go to my bank's website and check it out from there.

The BULL DROPPINGS get deeper by the day. It must be the holiday season, because the fake e-mails are coming in faster than I can delete them!

I got this one just the other day, it was over in my spam box, where it belongs, but I thought you'd find it amusing.

Dear Customer,
Back of Lancaster County temporarily suspended your account. [Please note, they misspelled Bank!]
Reason: Billing failure.
We require you to complete on account update so we unlock your account. To log in and start the update process click here .Once you have completed the update, you can access your accoung at any time. The information provided will be treated in confidence and stored in our secure database. Your account will be deleted if you fail to complete the update process.

Besides the misspellings, their English grammar is terrible! A second grader can write better than most of the scammers sending out these e-mails.

As always, be careful out there in cyberspace. NEVER click on a link provided in an e-mail. Open a new window and type in your bank, credit card company or other website.

And if you don't have an account with that company, just hit the old "SPAM" button on your e-mail so next time their message won't even make it to your inbox.

The IRS Has A Refund For You!!

Yup, came right in my e-mail yesterday.

The IRS has found some extra money for me, and all I had to do was send an e-mail with my personal information (the link was conveniently provided to me) and I'd get my refund ASAP.

DANG, do these clowns think I fell off the turnip truck?

First off, the IRS will NEVER admit they owe you money. Come on, people, think!! Since when do the Feds give up a nickel without a mass of extra paperwork, at least an hour of your time, and an argument?

PULEEZE, I call BULL DROPPINGS on this e-mail.

It's just some cousin of the poor Christian woman who's dying of cancer and wants to send you all of her money, if you'll just give her your bank account information. Or the guy that wants to buy your car/furniture/electronics and he'll be happy to send you a money order plus shipping -- all you have to do is send the shipper's fee over to his thief-in-law...

In EVERY case, I can promise you that you'll end up owing the bank a bunch of money, whether it's having your account stripped clean with ACH withdrawals, or when they back that fake money order out of your account.

Don't be a fool out on the Internet! Just because someone says it's true, doesn't mean it is!

In fact, doubt me too.

But be warned, if you ignore me, you will be sorry....

IRS Website: www.irs.gov