Northwest Community News and Events for 2009
Events and announcements for:
November 2009—Incidents of fraud and scams on the rise
We
realize that many people have family members or friends who do not or cannot access the internet.
These people
may be some of the most susceptible to scams and would benefit from information on scam awareness.
Please
consider talking to these people about scam awareness, or print the
PDF version of this article
for them to read.
The holiday season is approaching and scams are on the rise. Every year, the holidays
present a perfect opportunity for criminals to perpetrate scams. Many people may feel more
stressed during the holiday season, and others may feel more generous. Either way, these
people could be at higher risk of becoming scam victims during the holiday season.
Scam artists have two main ways to trick you into giving up your money, identity or
other things of value:
Fear: Scared people are easily manipulated. People can be scared for countless
reasons and scammers will take advantage of it. A scammer may even create a sense of fear
where there may not be one already. Remember; if something sounds too good to be true, it
probably is. Keep a cool head, and don’t let someone hurry you into a decision.
Generosity: Generosity is a personal attribute to admire and is commonly found in
the very young and very old. But it can also be something that criminals use to their
advantage.
The naively generous may be easily convinced to give money, information or other “gifts” to
people or causes that are fraudulent. They may never know that their “gift” has not arrived
at its implied destination.
Some things to do to protect yourself:
Check your credit report – Check your credit report annually. It is an inexpensive
way to make certain your identity has not been stolen. Get more info at
AnnualCreditReport.com
Get Identity Theft Protection – Your credit union or bank can offer you some solutions to
help protect against damages if your identity is stolen. At Northwest Community, our
Great Northwest Checking accounts
come with identity theft protections that limit your losses if someone assumes your identity.
Sign up for electronic statements and billing – Get your personal and account
information out of your mail box. Mail theft can provide scammers with easy access to your
personal information. Northwest Community encourages our members to use
eStatements, which
are delivered via our secure On-Line Banking
website. Our Bill Pay, also a free
feature of On-Line Banking, is often a more secure way to pay bills than with checks.
Stay informed – Check the news for the latest scams that are going around locally
and nationally. Also check the Federal Trade Commission website for fraud and scam reports.
It pays to stay informed.
Don’t be afraid to tell someone if you’ve been a victim – Being a victim of fraud
is like being a victim of any other crime. It doesn’t mean that you should be ashamed; it
means that someone has wronged you. If you think you have been a victim of a scam, report it
to your local authorities. If you think your bank account information has been compromised,
contact your bank or credit union for help.