COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Scams against seniors continue to get worse, but one local group of concerned citizens is attempting to do something about it.
Donald Black organized a Nov. 18 meeting with a few individuals he hoped could come up with a plan to educate Jones County seniors, which would give them some protection against scammers. Black said he has been a victim of scams twice, and he is not alone.
Dr. Ruth Hayes is over 90 and said her phone rings constantly with telemarketers. She said she has heard about all the scams and does not know what to do. She contacted her friend Donald for help.
“It’s terrible the way we get scammed,” she said. “We need to know what to do to stop it and how to do it.”
Hayes said, after talking to Black, they decided they needed a group of people who could help.
Black said he got a notice that his social security number was on the dark web, and at that time, he did not know what the dark web was.
“Things changed rapidly, and I was told I had to establish a paper trail,” he said. “It was a lot.”
Black said he even got a call from a security company he thought was helping him, charging for services he did not authorize.
He said after talking to Hayes, he started making phone calls to people he thought could help and set up the meeting.
Jeremy Cook, who is a security officer with Exchange Bank, was one of the attendees. He said it is important for people to monitor their credit. He added that people need to be sure any company they are working with is legitimate.
Cook said answering the phone is a choice.
“If you don’t recognize the person calling, don’t answer,” he said.
Hayes said that is why seniors are targeted.
“Many of us live alone and would like someone to talk to,” she said.
Black added that as southerners, people are taught to be polite, and scammers use that against them.
Probate Judge Lewis Patterson attended the meeting. He said he sees people in court with issues due to being scammed.
Cook noted that even caller ID cannot be trusted, and Joe Rutledge, the owner of Gray Computers, agreed. He said caller ID can be spoofed, and phones can be cloned.
The security officer did have some good news for those who are victims of fraud. He said too often seniors are victims of their family members, but Cook said banks give their customers a lot of protection by law.
“You have a lot of rights in getting your money back. If you lose your money from fraud, the bank gives you that money back,” he said.
Cook said the software used by banks can have tiny flaws that are constantly being exploited by criminals.
“It’s an everyday battle to fight those breaches,” he said. “You just have to assume your private information has been compromised and keep a watch on your accounts.”
Cook said the problem with credit monitoring services, however, is the price.
Sharon Turner is the Director of the Jones County Senior Center. She asked Cook if it is a good idea to pay bills online.
Cook said using online banking is convenient, but it depends on the person. He said the first step is to be sure to use the proper website.
“If you don’t trust it, don’t use it,” he said.
The security officer said COVID-19 pushed everyone online, and that has not been good for some seniors. His suggestion was for people to use what they are comfortable with.
“If you are not comfortable using a computer, don’t start it. Do what works for you,” he said.
Rutledge said prepaid bank cards are an option that do not give criminals access to bank accounts.
Cook said a trip to the bank is the best way to handle a problem.
“If you see anything strange in your account, talking to your banker in person is the key,” he said.
Black said he would like to create a handout with information of how seniors can protect themselves against scammers. The handout will be distributed at churches and other places convenient for seniors.
“To be effective, we need to talk repeatedly about it,” he said.
