FBI - 500 Main Street, Suite 9000 - Cincinnati OH 45202 - www.fbi.gov
| For Immediate Release Date: March 22, 2005 |
Contact: Michael E. Brooks |
Stanley J. Borgia, Special Agent in Charge of the Cincinnati Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, offers the following suggestions to senior citizens in order to protect themselves from criminals who would seek to victimize them.
Recently, the FBI has received a significant number of reports of criminals targeting senior citizens to obtain personal financial information. Such information has been used to access personal financial accounts and to engage in identity theft. Senior citizens, as well as everyone, can take a number of steps to protect themselves from these and other criminals:
1. Never give out personal information, such as a social security number, date of birth, bank account balances or account numbers, credit card numbers, or any other identifying information to an individual who contacts you via a telephone or a computer. Such information should only be given when you initiate the contact at the business in person or call them direct and are absolutely sure of whom you are speaking with.
2. No financial institution or law enforcement agency will ever contact you seeking personal identifying information or asking you to put up your own money as part of an "investigation." Recently a number of senior citizens have reported that they have been contacted by phone or the internet by individuals posing as FBI agents or other law enforcement officials and asking for personal data. Another variation of this scheme is a phone call from a person who claims to be from your bank and who is trying to "catch" a dishonest bank employee with your assistance. You will then be asked to withdraw funds from your account and provide those funds to the "bank examiner" as part of the "investigation."
3. Never respond to a letter or email from an individual claiming to be a "foreign official" and claiming to need someone to receive a large amount of money into their bank account from the "official" or their "government." The purported official will offer to allow you to keep a percentage of the money to entice participation. When you respond, the official will then attempt to obtain personal identifying information or bank account information in order to defraud you. Another variation is one in which you are requested to provide "up-front" money to insure that you follow through or can be trusted.
4. Never respond to someone who claims that you have won a prize when you know that you did not enter the contest you are being told you have won. The "winner" will be advised that "contest officials" need bank account information or credit card information in order to award the prize. That information will then be used to defraud you. Another variation is that you are asked to pay the "taxes" on the "prize" first before they can send "it" to you. Also, be careful with providing personal information when entering contests. Some criminals will set up booths advertising contests for such things as cars or free vacations, then collect names, addresses and telephone numbers from those who enter the contest. You will later receive a phone call advising that you have won the contest. At that time, you will be asked for bank account or credit card information which will be used to defraud you.
5. Always check out a charity before donating to that charity. Criminals will contact you on behalf of a purported charity, frequently after a disaster or tragic event such as the recent tsunami in Asia, and ask you to donate money. Only donate to a charity you know to be legitimate and to a person or address for that charity that you know actually is connected to the charity.
6. Never permit someone to perform repairs to your home or car when you did not contact that person first. Criminals often target senior citizens by going to their door and advising that they were "in the area" and noticed a problem with their home or vehicle. They offer to repair the problem at a "discount" and then perform unneeded and/or inadequate repairs, charging excessive amounts for those repairs.
7. If anyone comes to your door, and you are in any way suspicious of that person, contact your local police department immediately. Never invite anyone you do not know into your home unless you know that person and can trust them. No legitimate law enforcement officer, even one in uniform, will ever mind if you first call the police to ensure the person at your door is legitimate. The same rule applies to utility workers, even those carrying identification. When determining the legitimacy of someone at your door, never use a phone number provided by that person. Often criminals will provide the phone number of a confederate who will "vouch" for the criminal. Instead, call a number you obtain from a phone book or from directory assistance. Again, be suspicious of anyone you do not know who comes to your door. When in doubt call "911."
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