The robbing of the elderly, part 2: Action plan

By Anna Szmajda, CPA, CFP
Berlin, Ramos & Company, P.A.

A recent article in The Washington Post cited a telemarketer who was sentenced to a year in prison for his role in a telemarketing scam in which more than $275,000 was stolen from an elderly D.C. resident.

The telemarketer acknowledged that he was part of a nationwide telemarketing conspiracy based in Fresno, Calif. The group would call unsuspecting people — often the elderly — and tell them they had won a cash prize but would have to send a wire order of $2,000 or $3,000 to pay taxes and processing fees. Of course, there was no prize and the conspirators took the money from the wire transfer.

In another instance, "Mr. Smith" called his son to tell him the good news: "I've won a car!" The sweepstakes entry he received in the mail said, "Congratulations! You have won an automobile." All he had to do was send in $5. Further down in fine print was the catch: If his winning entry was drawn, the car would be his. Mr. Smith didn't read the fine print until his son asked him to. Thankfully, Mr. Smith was not scammed — this time.

What to do if you suspect fraud

If it's mail fraud, contact the Postal Inspection Service at:

Postal Inspection Service
United States Postal Service
P.O. Box 3310
Capitol Heights, Md. 20791-3310
Phone : (301) 499-7346
Fax : (301) 350-5733

If you suspect telemarketing fraud, call your state's attorney general. Maryland's attorney general is:

J. Joseph Curran Jr.
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, Md. 21202-2202
Phone: (410) 576-6300
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In either case, you should report the suspected fraud to the National Consumers League's National Fraud Information Center hotline at (800) 876-7060.

Get your name removed from mail and phone lists

Write to the Direct Marketing Association, a trade group of telephone and mail marketers, and ask them to remove your name from the national contact lists.

Mail your requests for removal from mailing lists to:

Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008

Keep in mind that if you choose to be removed from mailing lists, you will be removed from all lists — even those from which you might normally want to receive mail.

To remove your name from most telemarketing lists, register with the National Do Not Call Registry by phone at (888) 382-1222 or by e-mail at www.donotcall.com.

Plan in advance to stop a crime

Be prepared for criminal calls. Know in advance what you will say and keep the call short. Some people simply say, "No, thank you" and hang up. The longer you stay on the line, the greater the chance you will give in to their persuasion. Don't worry about being rude when you think someone is trying to hold you up. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If you have elderly parents, other elderly family members or older friends, postal inspectors advise you to watch for these areas of concern the next time you visit their homes:

Look for stacks of unsolicited mail proclaiming the recipient to be "a guaranteed winner" or offering lottery tickets for sale.
Watch for an unusual number of packages containing inexpensive costume jewelry, plastic cameras or wristwatches.
Note if they are receiving unsolicited telephone calls from fast-talking operators offering "fantastic" opportunities to claim prizes or make sure-fire investments. If so, you can help them arrange for an unlisted phone number.
Volunteer to help balance their checkbooks and ask about any questionable checks or sudden, large withdrawals. Offer to go over credit card statements to ensure that only authorized purchases are listed.
Offer to pick up their mail to see if they are receiving unsolicited sweepstakes or lottery offers. If so, they might be on a variety of "sucker lists" being circulated by con artists. Have a trusted family friend help check the mail daily.
Talk to them about evaluating offers they receive in the mail, by e-mail or on the phone from someone they don't know. Suggest that they talk over such offers with someone before accepting them.

For more information about helping older adults, contact the Maryland Department of Aging at (410) 767-1100 or visit their Web site at www.mdoa.state.md.us.

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