• Beware of scams and scammers Beware of scams and scammers The Island is hectic this time of year, with tourism peaking along with visits from friends and relatives. It’s also a time of relaxation with some students still out
• Beware of scams and scammers
Beware of scams and scammers
The Island is hectic this time of year, with tourism peaking along with visits from friends and relatives. It’s also a time of relaxation with some students still out of school. The “Dog Days” weather adds a touch of laziness to the above mix.
What this can all add up to is a letting down of the guard when it comes to scams and scammers.
As detailed in the Tuesday issue of The Garden Island, a helpful, truthful-sounding, well-dressed helper can turn a small auto repair problem into a major financial disaster.
The news of this scam is just the tip of the iceberg.
One of the newer areas for scams is the Internet, especially in the realm of e-mail. We’ve heard from even knowledgable Internet users who have fallen for the fake eBay auction Web site notices. The e-mail asks the reader to respond to a bogus invoice or credit check; the result can result in identity theft and other serious problems.
If an e-mail looks fishy, delete it. Unless you are absolutely sure of the identity of the sender don’t respond to any financial inquiries.
There’s a practice known as phishing that some of these bogus e-mails fall under. The senders are “phishing” for your social security number, your credit card information, even your date of birth and essential passwords.
In the flesh on the Island, it is unfortunate that on our Island of aloha there are individuals taking advantage of this atmosphere.
The elderly are especially easy prey for scammers. The sons and daughters of the elderly should forewarn their parents to check any fishy sounding financial offers with them before they act. This includes mail offers for sweepstakes and other prize offerings. Some seniors think their chances of winning will increase if they buy products offered, while in reality there is no obligation to purchase anything.
An ounce of prevention is worth possibly thousands of dollars in losses when it comes to scams and scammers you might face on Kaua‘i.
Be prepared and be cautious when responding to financial comeones, whether they come in e-mail, in your mail box or from a friendly stranger in a shopping center parking lot.
