Sept Workshop on Fraud
With the complexity of Internet schemes and popularity of hacking, many people of every age group are victimized every day. This was a key message of Jay Haapala of AARP (Amer. Assn. of Retired People), who has given over 500 workshops on the topic.
According to Jay, the most attempted crimes are financial scams including Prize Winning Scams. The most popular scams in Minnesota are: (1) Imposter scams, such as when a person calls and claims that he/she is your grandchild and needs money desperately and quickly; (2) Identity Theft, where somebody pretends to be you when opening a bank or credit card account in your name and then runs up big charges on it; (3) Debt collectors, when people claim the victim owes them an immediate debt payoff.
Nationwide in 2015, 12.6 million became victims of such scams with $20.9 billion stolen. Jay said “Look out for ‘Red Flags’ related to luxury vacation properties, free meals and pressure to buy, and hired actors who are paid to act as potential buyers. You can also protect yourself by (1) Monitoring your personal accounts and credit reports, (2) Being cautious about cash and gift cards, (3) Using credit cards that have the new EMV chip.
If you do become a victim of fraudulent activity, you have 60 days to report it and 10 days for the bank to give you your money back.
Jay Haapala stressed that public Wi-Fi is not secure, and he recommended that your home network should be secured by a strong password. If you use public Wi-Fi, try to avoid using it for any email or other transactions where your personal information is identified.
Be alert to all the accounts listed in your credit report. If there are any errors, they should be reported to the credit agency ASAP.
If you want to check on the data breach at Equifax, go to equifaxsecurity2017.com. In order to have additional protection you may want to put a FREEZE or LOCK on each of your credit accounts, which prevents companies from obtaining a credit report. You will need to contact all three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and Transunion) to request a freeze.
Here are some other useful tips to avoid fraud: (1) Avoid wire transfer of money because it has no consumer protection, (2) Don’t click on a link you do not recognize, (3) Shred personal information prior to disposal, (4) Be very careful with your private information even with family and friends.
-Gwen Perun and Larry Johnson, UMRA Cares Committee
September 26 Workshop: How to Avoid fraud, scams, and identity theft
Tue, September 26 2017, 1:30pm
Conference Room ABC, Campus Club, Fourth Floor, Coffman Memorial Union
People age 50 and older control more than 70 percent of the nation's wealth today and the scammers know it. They’re using the telephone, U.S. mail, email, and the Internet and may even appear on your doorstep trying to get your money. New technology has made it easier for criminals to gain access to our personal information and savings, and for some of us, aging-related issues like memory loss can increase vulnerability. Understanding the latest trends and tactics in fraud can help us all to protect our own savings and help others who are more vulnerable.
This AARP-designed workshop is based on the analysis of undercover FBI recordings of con artists in action. AARP has partnered with the FBI on the national level to educate people about financial crime because the best defense is to prevent crime in the first place. Topics covered range from consumer fraud, scams, identity theft, and cyber security to credit card theft and financial theft within the family.
Our workshop leader, Jay Haapala, is the associate state director of Community Outreach with AARP Minnesota. He also leads the state’s Fraud Watch Network, which serves to educate consumers about fraud, scams, and identity theft. Haapala and AARP Fraud Fighter volunteers have met with more than 400 community groups across the state, law enforcement officials, and fraud investigators, learning how people are being targeted by financial crime right here in Minnesota. Haapala has worked and served in the Minnesota nonprofit sector for 18 years building volunteer programs, and now is doing the same to build a network of fraud fighter volunteers with AARP.
Join us after the UMRA luncheon at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 26, for this important and timely workshop. The money and identity you save could be your own!
Upcoming Events
We are fortunate to have UMRA member and former Minnesota Landscape Arboretum director Peter Moe to lead this approximately 3.7-mile hike at the Arboretum on Monday, May 6. Plan to have lunch together after the hike at the Eatery café inside the Oswald Visitor Center.
This session will continue the discussion begun in the May 8, 2023 session. See that article for details.
If you currently live in your own home or apartment, have you looked ahead to when you might want to consider a senior living option? Do you have any idea what those options might be? How much they cost? What they provide? UMRA’s May 14 workshop will provide an overview of the world of senior living and the basic information you need.
You’re invited to join the final Family History Interest Group meeting for 2023–24. This will be an opportunity to ask questions related to family history, share insights, talk about recent projects, and suggest topics for next year.
Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement.
We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike.
Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m.
Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer.
Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)!
Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus.