Category: SCAMS

Submitted by Kevin Finnegan

Beware of Stimulus Payment Scams Tax Professionals — here’s what taxpayers need to know about stimulus payment processing in order to protect themselves from scammers: Be alert for phone scams.  The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury Department, or any other government agency will not contact you by phone to collect information for stimulus payment processing. Period. Be alert for phishing scams.  Government agencies will not email or text you to collect information for stimulus payment processing. Watch for suspicious emails or texts with links or attachments requesting information for processing stimulus deposits or checks. If you receive one, do not click the link or open the attachment. It’s a scam. Delete it. Be alert for state-related scams. State agencies will also not call, email or text you to collect information or a fee to process a stimulus payment. To date, no state has introduced their own version of a stimulus payment. As of now, we are only aware of one communication a taxpayer will receive from the IRS. No later than 15 days after distributing a stimulus payment, the IRS is required to mail a notice to the taxpayer indicating the payment amount, whether the payment was mailed or deposited, and a phone number to call if the taxpayer did not receive the payment. Victims or targets of stimulus payment scams should report it immediately to the Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov/complaint. We will provide more information about the IRS’s plans to process stimulus payments as it becomes available.

Welcome to the start ofa new decade. Just when you think everything can be alright someone has figured a way to cause you trouble.

We all like to do things the simple way so at times when we sign documents or fill out your checks you might write your date as 1/1/20. In any other year that would be okay butbecause we are in the year 2020 that can be a problem. Someone who gets hold of your check or document in order to cause you trouble can do the following:

Since you wrote 1/1/20 and the 20 could be the year or the century someone can change your date from 1/1/20 to 1/1/2025 or 1/1/2019 and change the value.  A check will be invalid and if it is a financial agreement or interest document you would be liable for more interest than actually due.

You may ask why someone would do this? Good question and I would say probably the same reason people try to get you to gibe them money for your overdue utility bill or sell you apps you don’t need. There are people who prey on our trusting nature. Don’t be a victim and better to be safe than sorry.

Starting now get used to writing 2020 when ever you put the year. After a few times you’ll be doing it without even thinking!

Reprinted from the April 2019 AARP Bulletin

Oddly to say but you will note that one of the best ways to prevent scams in the growing age of technology is to you technology but use it wisely. New pass code systems like fingerprint and retina scanning are far safer than passwords. Reprinted from the April 2019 AARP Bulletin

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The current rise in phone scams  has risen and they are now using the latest Caller Id system even though the number is wrong. BEWARE these are still scams.

How to prevent yourself from being scammed???

First and Foremost REMEMBER – we are not so important that any of these would call us. Remember when you call them it takes a long wait to reach someone so how can they have people making calls!!!

However if you are still unsure do the following:

• Say thank you; I check on it and hang up!!!!
• Do not call back the number on the caller Id or that they give you!!!
• Look at the list below and call this number to verify if any call received it legitimate

BE Cautious-Be Safe- Be Smart

Social Security--- (800) 772-1213

IRS---- 1-800-829-1040,

Medicare----- 1-800-633-4227

Riverhead police------  631) 727-4500

Suffolk County Police----631-852-6400.

Dell------------ 1-800-288-4410

Microsoft-----1-877-696-7786

Lastly: Ignore any calls from the anti-virus program you are using. Again they don’t call you

I’m sure most Facebook users and many of those who are not have heard of “Go Fund Me”. 

It is an easy way to raise money for an emergency, a desperate need or other special fund. It is easy to set up, can potentially reach thousands and generate much money.

Is it good? Potentially YES!! If you know the cause or the person running it then it is most likely going to be okay.

However it has been found that there are scammers out there who have been found to set up a fund with a heartbreaking cause. People donate because they care and the money is going in someone’s pocket.

There is at present no oversight.

So while I encourage charitable donations; just be aware of who you give your money too.

NEW:5/1/16: Scammers are trying to get personal information from people by pretending to help with applications for disability benefits and claims. A recent alert from the Social Security Inspector General warns of this phishing scam, and — whether or not you’ve started an application for benefits — these scammers could contact you. They’re taking a shot in the dark, hoping that you have started an application, and hoping you’ll give them a little more info over the phone. To “complete the process,” they might ask you to give, or confirm, your Social Security number or bank account numbers.
If scammers get your information, you could face identity theft and benefit theft.

So here are a few things you can do to help protect yourself:

1)Never give your Social Security number or account numbers to someone who calls you.
2)Don’t wire money or send money using a prepaid debit card. In fact, never pay someone who calls out of the blue.
3)If you have disability benefits, regularly check their status, and review your statements to make sure they’re right.
4)Pressured to provide your information? That’s a sure sign of a scam. Hang up immediately and report it to the Social Security Fraud Hotline and the FTC.
If you have questions about disability benefits, or get calls offering help with them, call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213.
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Stop and Shop-Riverhead. Be alert when shopping.

If an item is posted on a shelf in the store and the item at check out comes up higher,the store is obligated to give you the posted price. Don’t let them bully you.

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New: Hotel Scam- You rent a room. When you check in you give them a credit card to cover the costs. Once in the room you receive a call from someone who says they are from the front desk and there is a problem with your card and they just need to verify the numbers. They ask you to read them back to them. DONOT!! It is a scam. Someone called the hotel and asked for your room #. Tell the caller you will come down to the front desk to check it out and Hang up. Then if you want call the front desk to verify.

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IF you get a call from MICROSOFT telling you your computer is telling them it is needing repair and they need access to fix it. JUST HANG UP!!They will lock your computer and either steal your files or charge you a fee to unlock it.

HANG UP

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ALSO it is tax season REMEMBER THE IRS never calls so if they do it is a scam

Another scam going around. If you get a call from a credit card company saying they noticed a fraudulent charge on your account.They then will ask for your credit card number so they can remove the charge. IT IS A SCAM!!! THe credit card company will have your card number already. Just hang up!