Just because people over the age of 55 are, and have been, the focus of many different scams and money grabs doesn't mean there aren't other groups with a bullseye on their back.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) just released the results of an investigative study they did that explores sweepstakes, lottery, and prize scams. The amount of money being scammed from people is pretty stunning.
Normally, the warnings about home improvement scams go out right after some sort of weather event like destructive storms, flooding, damaging winds or similar occurrences.
Thanks to our friend Dennis Horton, Director of the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), we learned a new word this morning: Smishing.
Having lived in this area for all but 6 months of my life, I don't have any experiences, good or bad, with moving companies. However, since we do live in a state that's leading the nation in people leaving, I'll bet that someone reading this has a story to tell.
I always look forward to our twice-monthly phone chats with Dennis Horton, Director of the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), because I learn something new about how to guard against scammers every single time we talk.
There's no sugar-coating how tough things have been for most people over the last year, especially when we're talking about finding a job. With record-high unemployment comes desperation, and desperation brings out the scam artists.
For many people, the idea of having someone else doing your taxes is very appealing, assuming that you've hired them to handle that task. It stops having any appeal when you find out that someone did your taxes without your knowledge.
Okay, so you're thrilled to have completed your two-shot COVID-19 vaccination program, and you want to share the good news with everyone. That's fine, but you need to be very wary about posting a photo of your vaccine card online.
At this writing, it's Wednesday, March 17th, and St. Patrick's Day. It's also the official payment date for the third round of stimulus payments to Americans who are eligible for them.