The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is sometimes the first line of defense when a person believes he’s been wronged by a shoddy service or serviceperson. To avoid as many scenarios as possible like this, the BBB and I agree on some very basic methods to stay one step ahead of scummy scammers.
First and foremost: NEVER give out your Social Security number unless it’s absolutely necessary and you know the person to whom you’re revealing; otherwise, it’s the pathway to complete ruin. And, along this line, a troubled young woman whom I’ve recently befriended misplaced her purse. When she told me her SS card was included, I almost fainted right then and there. Thank goodness her search party found the bag and, by the time I finished with all the dreadful events that would befall her if Tammy Thief got a hold of her card, my friend swore she’d never carry it again. Whew!
Activate a credit freeze. Yes, I know I harangue and harass readers about this subject, but the H&H truly can’t be enough these days. To instigate a credit freeze is the best way to protect ourselves from financial identity theft, because it restricts access to our credit files. No way on God’s green earth can ID thieves apply for a new line of credit in any of our names. Pay nothing to freeze and then later, if required, thaw it temporarily before freezing again. No Robin/Robby Robbers around your personal info!
Use technology to block robocalls and other telemarketing calls. Nomorobo, a call blocking feature, can disconnect known telemarketers or scammers from your VoIP landline after one ring. Free for landlines, it costs $0 for cellphones. Go to www.nomorobo.com to begin. Even better to my way of thinking is the app Hiya, which seems to snag more robocalls before the scumbags get transferred to your ear.
Thanks to FaceBook, it’s imperative to review our permissions and privacy settings on this and other social media. If you’ve signed into an app or website using your social media credentials or taken a fun quiz on social media (which I’ve done, unfortunately), you may have unwittingly given permission to third-party apps to access your personal information and contacts. On Facebook, go to “settings” and “apps and websites” to review.