Chelsea PD, Bulldog Computer and Chelsea State Bank Offer Tips to ID and Avoid Scams

On Thursday, Jan. 16 from 3-4 p.m. Bulldog Computers, Chelsea Police and Chelsea State Bank will hold a free community event to help you identify and avoid scams at Chelsea Retirement Home, 805 W. Middle St.

The rate of on-line scams and hacking is increasing, and scammers are becoming more sophisticated in their approach – even the most computer savvy persons can fall prey to their clever tactics. Their target market is not exclusive to seniors, it can happen to both young, as well as the elderly.

Many of these predators originate overseas, making it extremely difficult to track down and leaving limited recourse when these acts occur. Learn to identify and protect yourself from being scammed and what to do in the unfortunate case that you become a victim of a scam.

During the holidays:

Beware of on-line holiday promotions that sound too good to be true, massive discounts, free giveaways, etc. Scammers often create fake websites or ads offering exceptional discounts to lure you. Only buy from reputable sites.
Do not respond to calls or emails that instruct the consumer to buy Gift Cards or Bitcoin, to then be used as a method of payment. ONLY use secure credit cards or platforms such as PayPal when paying for your holiday purchases.
HANG UP on any caller who asks you to stay on the line while you withdraw money. If they threaten or pressure you to pay immediately DO NOT.
Avoid oversharing personal information such as banking routing & account information, Social Security numbers, etc. via email, phone, or other means. Legitimate businesses don’t need your Social Security number or excessive details to process a purchase.
Double √ holiday donation requests – verify charities through official websites or trusted platforms before giving.
Set strong, unique passwords – especially for online shopping accounts, to reduce the risk of hacking. Do not save your passwords on your computer.
Avoid emails that tell you your “banking information” is no longer valid or has been compromised and needs to be updated. Many of these emails will appear legitimate with identical logos etc. but are designed to get the consumer to input their banking information so they can gain access to your account.
Be cautious using public Wi-fi networks – avoid entering sensitive information unless you are using a secure, private network.
Do not accept or respond to unsolicited calls or emails that claim to be your bank or internet service provider, or other sources that you have auto payment set up – always take down their number and compare to the number you have on file. Hang up and call the institution back directly to verify the legitimacy of the call.
Avoid computer scams, i.e.: warnings that instruct you to call a phone number immediately if your computer has been locked up or infected with a virus. These scammers will ask to remote into your computer while asking you to pay a hefty fee to restore your computer back to its original state.
Try to schedule package deliveries for when you are home. Be a good neighbor by keeping an eye on your neighbors’ homes and report any suspicious activity.
Check your bank account DAILY for unauthorized transactions and contact your bank IMMEDIATELY if anything seems out of order.
IF you feel you may have been a victim of fraud, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, along with CHELSEA PD IMMEDIATELY. The sooner you call, the better the chance of stopping any fraudulent transactions.