| Arnold Schwarzenegger may not be able to be a | | | | scammers are fishing for. |
| "Terminator" of financial scams and crimes against | | | | 4. There are so many worthy charities out there |
| the elderly but as California Governor | | | | and unfortunately so many charity scams that |
| Schwarzenegger signed into effect two laws to | | | | want to prey on the generosity of the elderly. |
| help the elderly. The first, SB1343 permits senior | | | | CharityNavigator.org is a trustworthy site for |
| citizens to have a friend or family member in the | | | | researching charities before giving. |
| courtroom for support. | | | | 5. Invest in a shredder and a lock safe box. Keep |
| "By allowing a friend or family member in the | | | | and lock up tax returns for seven years but you |
| courtroom while giving difficult testimony, elderly | | | | have 15 year old tax returns, it is time to shred |
| and disabled adults will feel more comfortable | | | | them. |
| coming forward and pressing charges to allow | | | | Wayne Stenehem, the North Dakota Attorney |
| justice to be served," Schwarzenegger said in a | | | | General, spoke at the West Central Vulnerable |
| statement. "This legislation not only protects this | | | | Adults Coalition event and shared, "Certainly things |
| vulnerable community, but helps to prevent these | | | | you need to keep indefinitely like your marriage, |
| types of crimes from happening again." | | | | divorce, other family, military records. Those kinds |
| The second law to protect seniors is SB 612, | | | | of things you keep forever, but your bank |
| which provides victims of identity theft the | | | | accounts and your telephone accounts, those |
| opportunity to have their cases prosecuted in the | | | | kinds of things can be destroyed." |
| county that they live in, which is not always the | | | | 6. Shred all pre-approved credit card offers. They |
| county where the crime occurred. This law | | | | put you at risk for identity theft. |
| provided victims making it much easier for victims | | | | 7. Never sign the back of your credit cards. |
| to file charges and have the crime prosecuted | | | | Instead write photo i.d. required. This makes a |
| without the added expense and burden of travel. | | | | stolen credit card less useful in retail stores or |
| What can you do to protect yourself or your | | | | banks, although it could still be used for on-line or |
| elderly loved ones? | | | | phone shopping. |
| 1. Stay educated about identity theft, recent | | | | 8. Signing up for the Do Not Call Registry can help |
| identity theft scams, identity theft laws, your | | | | protect your phone number from scammers. |
| rights, remedies and so on. Here's a great list of | | | | -Opt out of receiving offers based on your credit |
| resources to check out and save. | | | | report by calling 1-888-567-8688, the Federal |
| Trusted Sources for Helpful Information on | | | | Trade Commissions "opt out" line. |
| Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft: | | | | 10. Review your financial records including banking, |
| A. The American Association of Retired Persons | | | | credit card, Social Security benefits, insurance |
| offers tips through their magazine and their | | | | statements and Medicare statements as they |
| website. | | | | arrive for inaccuracies. |
| B. ID Theft dot gov is the federal government's | | | | 11. Use passwords but choose carefully. It's |
| website resource. | | | | tempting to chose an easy to remember number |
| C. The non-profit organization, Identity Theft | | | | like the last four digits of your social or your |
| Resource Center, has information on their | | | | birthday but these are too easy for identity |
| website, as well as a toll free number, 1 (888) | | | | thieves. Also, don't write down and keep your |
| 400-5530. | | | | passwords on your desks, in your purse or |
| D. The US Department of Justice | | | | address book. Lock these away in your lock box |
| E. Visit the Older Americans Administration on | | | | too. |
| Aging to learn more about the Older Americans | | | | 12. Don't carry credit cards with you that you |
| Act. | | | | don't need. Be sure to make copies of cards and |
| If you're not internet savvy, your local library can | | | | have all phone numbers on file in case your card |
| assist you with internet research. | | | | is stolen or accessed. |
| 2. Many seniors have carried their social security | | | | 13. Protect your mail from identity thieves. Use a |
| card and number around for decades and it is a | | | | locking mailbox and cancel mail delivery through |
| hard habit to break but seniors need to | | | | your post office when you will be away. |
| understand that today the practice simply isn't | | | | 14. Don't put your trash out way ahead of time |
| smart or safe. Medicare card numbers put seniors | | | | for curbside pick up and make sure any trash bins |
| at risk too. Instead seniors can leave their cards | | | | you store outside aren't easily accessible without |
| secured at home and instead carry a copy of | | | | being seen. Dumpster diving is just one small way |
| their Medicare card with them, with the SSN | | | | identity thieves go treasure hunting but it still |
| blacked out. This will help you get the medical | | | | happens.. |
| treatment you need in case of emergency and | | | | 15. Lastly, be very careful when issuing a power |
| but still keep your information safe in case of a | | | | of attorney. Don't make a quick, rash or |
| theft. Hospitals will not deny treatment based on | | | | emotional decision and be very suspicious of new |
| carrying a copy of your Medicare card. The real | | | | acquaintances or newly interested relatives that |
| card can be presented later. | | | | offer to be your power of attorney. Power of |
| 3. Do not give out information over the phone, | | | | attorney really does offer a lot of power. |
| especially bank account or credit card information. | | | | Your local police department can help you file |
| If someone calls and claims to be from a bank or | | | | identity theft charges but there are many steps |
| credit card company, hang up and call the | | | | that you can take to prevent identity theft and |
| institution back at a number you already have on | | | | also to stop the crime from continuing if you |
| a statement. Real institutions will not ask you for | | | | have become a victim. Unfortunately, you can't |
| sensitive information over the phone and will | | | | ever "retire" from protecting yourself from |
| already have the answers to the questions | | | | identity theft. |