Scam Jams, alerting consumers to scams

Kathleen Anderson

Scam Jam. It kind of sounds like a party, doesn’t it? And in a way, it is. Only instead of a house party, the Scam Jams are held in neighborhood clubhouses, churches, service clubs, senior living facilities, or any place the public can gather.

The “hostesses” for the Scam Jams are Teresa Gidden, the Outreach Coordinator for Consumer Protection Washington and Lyn Peters, the Communication Director of Financial Education and Outreach for the Department of Financial Institutions.

Working together or separately, they alert consumers to scams making the rounds in the State of Washington.

And what exactly do you learn at a Scam Jam?  Well, for openers, did you know there are actually classes offered by master scammers on how to steal identities?  Or that you should use credit cards instead of debit cards to protect your personal funds?

Do you know how to determine which emails are safe to open and which ones, if you open their link, will provide everything scammers need to get your personal information? Check for misspelled words and the reply address. Do you know which government agencies call on the phone to demand payment? (The answer to that one is none.)

Weather, like the hurricane that recently hit Cabo San Lucas and outbreaks of war, are the perfect forum for scam requests for donations to those affected by these disasters. Check with the Give Smart program overseen by the Secretary of State before you give your money to the wrong people.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is opening new doors for scammers. While talking to Teresa and Lyn, I found out there are now voice synthesizers that can mimic your voice to the point that it will not show deceptive on the voice testing equipment used by CSI police agencies. So, when you get the phone call from your grandchild asking for bail money, it will sound exactly like their voice.

Much like parents teaching children a safe word before accepting a ride with a stranger, Teresa and Lyn suggest every family have a secret word or phrase to use to identify callers asking for money.

The most targeted demographic for scams is the senior population. One reason is that scammers know where we are – we are retired and usually home. Another reason is that many seniors don’t know where to seek help when scammed. And some are just too embarrassed to admit they were scammed… so they say nothing.

I recently had a problem with a contractor found on the Next-Door app. I know, I should have known better.  But when the shoddy work was done and the contractor walked away, I didn’t know who to contact or who I should have checked with before hiring him. Lyn informed me there is an agency to check with before and report to after a problem. You can find their information in the list below under Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, protecting homeowners from contractor scams and fraud.

If you want to host a Scam Jam for your residents, church, service club or any group you can contact Teresa at this link for help from Consumer Protection Washington.  

Other organizations that can help are listed below and can be found on the Facebook link at the end of the list.

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Organizations that are members of Consumer Protection Washington.

Department of Financial Institutions

Provides financial education to protect and educate the public.

Secretary of State

Tools and resources to help you GiveSmart

Office of the Attorney General

Safeguarding consumers from fraud and unfair business practices

Utilities and Transportation Commission

Helping guard consumers against utility fraud and more

Federal Trade Commission

Vigorous and effective law enforcement and consumer education

United States Postal Inspection Service

Investigates any crime in which the U.S. Mail is used to further a scheme, regardless of where it originated

Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner

Protects insurance consumers and oversees the insurance industry

Office of the Insurance Commissioner

Free, unbiased, and confidential assistance with Medicare and health care choices

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries

Protecting homeowners from contractor scams and fraud

Washington State Treasurer's Office

Providing free financial education workshops and resources to promote financial wellness.

Better Business Bureau

Helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust for more than 100 years

Victim Support Services

When A Crime Happens To You Or A Loved One, Victim Support Services Is Here To Provide Free & Confidential Services

IRS

Working to stop identity theft and tax fraud

Northwest Justice Project

Washington’s publicly funded legal aid program

Connect with us on Facebook Consumer Protection Washington

Site Maintained by: Washington State Department on Facebook

Consumer Protection Washington

Site Maintained by: Washington State Department

Connect with us on Facebook

Consumer Protection Washington

Site Maintained by: Washington State Department

https://www.facebook.com/ConsumerProtectionWashington/ 

Kathleen Anderson writes this column each week from her home in Olympia.  Contact her at  kathleen@theJOLTnews.com or post your comment below.