Chances are that at some point, you or a loved one will be the target of a scam. That’s the bad news. The good news is there’s a local website to help sort through all the cons that come our way.
The Cleveland office of the Better Business Bureau covers Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, but anyone way go on their website. There you’ll find information about local businesses, the latest scams, and tips on how to protect yourself.
BBB Serving Greater Cleveland bbb.org/cleveland has BBB Standards for Trust, BBB Business Profiles, Scam Tracker, customer reviews, complaints and dispute resolutions, among other features.
BBB’s Senior Scam Brochure offers the following tips, not just for older adults but also for anyone who answers their door, takes a phone call or signs into a computer. In other words, all of us.
What should you do to protect yourself?
• Register your phone number with the National Do-Not-Call registry at 1-888-382-1222 or donotcall.gov.
• Don’t do business with someone who just shows up at your door.
• Don’t give personal or financial information to an unknown caller, and don’t provide such information for unsolicited email/internet messages.
• Check with BBB before dealing with any company or charity that you are not familiar with. Also check with family members, neighbors or friends.
• If you need to hire a contractor or repairman, ask BBB for a list of Accredited Businesses. Make sure the contractor is properly licensed.
• Don’t yield to high-pressure or emotional sales tactics. Read contracts thoroughly and seek advice from a relative or other advisor if you don’t understand them.
• Never pay money to win a prize or to enter sweepstakes, even if you are sent a check and told to make the payment from that check.
• Never pay the entire cost of a repair job up front. Try not to pay more than a third.
• Keep careful records of your transactions, such as bank or credit card statements.
Check them for accuracy and shred documents thoroughly before throwing them away. Thieves can steal a person’s identity from their trash.
• Never wire money to a stranger.
• Do not let door-to-door contractors into your home.
