SCOTTANTIQUE MARKETS America’s Favorite Treasure Hunts!
2ND WEEKEND EVERY MONTH
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Tech Care for Seniors → Computers → Devices → Wi-Fi Networks “We make house calls.”
404-307-8857
Rough Draft is a new, morning email from the editors of Atlanta Senior Life. Subscribe at www.roughdraftatlanta.com 22
JUNE 2021 | AtlantaSeniorLife.com
PERSONAL SAFETY
To avoid scams, take time to think the situation through Well, May is in the books and we survived another pollen-apalooza where, as divided as this country seems at times, we are all unified in Georgia by our green cars, itchy eyes, congestion, and headaches. It does, however, signal the end of the winter cold and the arrival of the Gods of Humidity who, in my case, bestow on me the ability to sweat enough for three showers minimum every day. I can make the short walk to the mailbox and return looking like I just crossed the Sahara.
STAY SAFE Steve Rose is a retired Sandy Springs Police Captain, veteran Fulton County police officer and freelance writer. He is the author the book “Why Do My Mystic Journeys Always Lead to the Waffle House?” and the column “View from a Cop.”
In the spirit of Mr. Blackwell’s list of best dressed, AARP came out with a list of the hottest frauds right now. Some have been discussed before and some are new. How about Zoom phishing? If you use Zoom often enough, this one may sneak up on you. You receive an email stating your account is suspended or that you missed an important meeting. To correct it, a link is provided. The link, of course, is the trick. It’s intended to download malicious software to search for personal information. Needless to say: don’t click the link. Zoom’s real website is www. zoom.us. You can always verify if you suspect fraudulent activity. I use Zoom rarely, mostly because I look worse every time I see myself on video. If the light is just right, I look amazingly like Boris Karloff. Not easy to pull off. Another new way scammers have found to rip people off during the pandemic involves copying vaccine cards posted
online. Here is a hint: don’t post your vaccine card on your social media. Your information is on the card. Scammers surfing Facebook and Instagram will see your information. Just tell your family and friends that you got the shot, if that seems necessary. A more familiar hack is the online shopping fraud. The site looks legit, complete with the company logo and an offer of great prices and limited deals, but before you go all in, check the site with the Better Business Bureau’s online directory at www.bbb.org. Then there are the online romance scams. Apparently, scammers are branching out from dating sites in their quest for victims. Now they’re showing up in online prayer groups, book clubs, and game sites such as Words with Friends. According to one recent article, con artists can lure victims into sites such as Google Hangouts or Facebook Messenger, where they eventually hit up their new friends for money. Lonely soldier overseas, or the doctor in another country who used his own funds to help heal the sick and now has no money to get back to the states, and to you, of course. Sometimes, these online communications last months, meaning the scammer can hone his skills. Medicare fraud showed a significant increase with the onset of the virus. Pandemicrelated services including Medicare cards with chips and vaccine upgrades for relatives that are promised, but require verification of the intended victim’s Medicare number. Regardless how they approach you, by phone, email or in person, hang up, delete, and shut the door. COVID-19 vaccines are free. Never give your Medicare number out and remember Medicare will not contact you soliciting services for a fee. Venmo, PayPal, Zell, and other cash-transfer services also are popular — meaning subject
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