RSS 2.0 FeedMay 20, 2011, Weekly editorial
Scams and frauds, an ever-present danger
This week's editorial is written by James W. Reed.
Each year, nearly 10 million people are victims of identity theft, resulting in over $50 billion in losses to consumers and businesses. The promise of wealth often clouds a person’s better judgment.
Tens of thousands of people are defrauded by scam artists who inform consumers that they’ve “won” bogus prizes such as “Canadian Lotto,” “El Gordo Lotteria,” vacations, cruises, or are eligible to be the “sole heirs” to fortunes left them by deposed/deceased war lords, dictators or wealthy individuals who have died with no known relatives as beneficiaries.
We also see employment signing bonuses and Internet sales where the “Purchaser” claims that they will send you a certified bank check for more than the amount that you asked for, to cover “shipping” or “other costs” related to the transaction. Usually, two weeks later, both the bank and the depositor find out that the check was a fake.
Senior citizens tend to be a prime target of every fraud and scam in the marketplace today, including home improvement rip-offs perpetrated by unscrupulous, unlicensed contractors. Consumers may now check the Nassau County Consumer Affairs website to ascertain whether a contractor is licensed or not. If you don’t have access to a computer, you can call staff at 571-2600.
The Office of Consumer Affairs exists to protect our citizens. If you are suspicious of an “extraordinary offer,” you can visit the following websites to see if the offer is real or a scam.
www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/OCA/index.html,
www.fbi.gov, www.ftc.gov,
www.snopes.com
To identify legitimate charities, visit www.charitynavigator.org. For information on nonprofit organizations, visit www.guidestar.org, or call your local attorney general’s office.
Generally, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
– James W. Reed, Former Deputy Commissioner, Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs
Mr. Reed is a member of the Nassau County and
Freeport Salvation Army Advisory Boards.
