Scams and Identity Theft are on the rise and guess who they often target??  US!!!!!! Can I be Queen for a day and hurt some of these people??? If you missed the last blog, I listed some potential scams to be aware of. https://notyourmamassenior.com/beware-seniors-scams

So, once again, this maybe redundant to some of you yet enlightening to others.  Pick and choose what helps you. 

– Safeguard Online

     – Passwords are the first line of defense.  Obviously do NOT use “password” for your real password.  Don’t laugh.  I know people that do.  Ideally, they should be long with a mix of UPPER/lower case, Numbers and Symbols.  So, how do you remember them?  I know I can forget where I parked my car within 30 minutes of entering a store.  Use a phrase such as:  “ILove2WalkmyDog!!”  To be honest though, I have a notebook that I use for my passwords. Just don’t leave it out for roaming eyes.

     – Unknown Email messages will frequently go to a spam file automatically where you can look review them as sometimes it’s a mistake.  If you see a message from someone you don’t recognize, hover your cursor over the from address.  If it’s a bunch of letters, it’s spam – DELETE immediately.

     – Links or Attachments should NOT be opened in and email or text message if you were not expecting them.

     – Generic Greetings such as “Dear Customer”, misspellings or poor grammar are also signs of scams

     – Protection is always recommended.  Check out this link from PC Magazine:  https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-security-suites    I see Norton has teamed with Lifelock which would give you computer AND ID Theft Protection which is another option.   Here’s the link to that information:   https://www.nortonsecurityonline.com/ 

– Safeguard Offline

     – Unsecure Data found in cars, laptops, and bills.  Remove all papers from your car or glove compartment before you leave it at a garage or even in your driveway.  We’ve had a few issues where kids have gotten into our cars in the neighborhood.  Lock your car, shred your bills, blacken out your name/address on junk mail.   Shredders are fairly cheap these days. 

        Do not keep your Social Security card or Passport in your purse.  

    –  Protection from Identity Theft is a good idea.  Check out this link for options: https://www.identityprotectionreview.com/

– If you think you’ve been a Victim

– Check your bank account or credit card transactions

– Report discrepancies to your bank or credit card company

– Freeze you credit card.  I’ve done this when I thought I lost my card.  It’s easy to do/undo.

– Contact one of the 3 credit bureaus:  https://www.equifax.com/, https://www.experian.com/  or https://www.transunion.com/.  Fraud alerts are free and you only need to contact ONE of these – the bureau you choose will contact the other two.

I hope this helps someone. 

Comments/Thoughts welcomed and encouraged. 

~Debbi

Not Your Mama’s Senior