Family Update
Man, do I have a story for you this week.
Penny, the younger and smaller of our two dogs, was so lethargic last night that we had to carry her to her food bowl, and she still wouldn't eat. Her eyes were red, and we were getting scared. The next morning she was no better. While I was hunting for my shoes to take her to the vet, I found a chewed-up bottle of her allergy medication. She's supposed to get one pill every other day. She ate 120.
The vet was pretty alarmed too, but her vitals and bloodwork came back okay, so they kept her for fluids and observation. Five minutes after I got home, they called. Her heart rate was elevated, and she needed to go to the ER. I rushed back and drove her over. The ER found her heart rate was fine, but they wanted to keep her for 24 hours and pump her full of fluids just to be safe.
The vet visit alone came to about $1,000, and the ER wanted another $3,000 to keep her overnight.
Before you report me to the animal shelter, let me explain. Her allergy medicine is mild and non-toxic; it leaves the body quickly and doesn't harm internal organs. Penny was acting completely normal and every vital sign was fine, so I passed on the overnight stay. I'm sure the ER just wanted to be careful, but it felt a little aggressive.
Keep your medicine bottles up high, friends. Dogs will eat anything.
They Come to Your Door
This is the third scam newsletter I've written this year. I'm sorry if this is getting repetitive, but more and more clients are getting burned.
Not to mention that over the past few months, my father-in-law's health hasn't been great, so I've been handling the finances. I've watched my mother-in-law and father-in-law get bombarded by scammers. I had no idea how aggressive it becomes as you get older. He's 80 years old. That's wrong on so many levels.
Here's what it actually sounds like.
"This is Medicare calling."
The phone rings, and you get a text. A friendly voice says she's with Medicare or Blue Cross Blue Shield, and there's a problem with your coverage. Legitimate companies do not call you out of the blue. Period.
"You qualify for a lower rate."
A caller, a glossy postcard, an email, then call after call by an aggressive but charming young man. Apparently, rates are great right now, and you can pull cash from your home with a home equity line of credit.
"I noticed some damage on your roof."
A man knocks on the door. He was working down the street and spotted loose shingles. He'll go up and take a look for free. He comes down with photos of damage and offers to handle the insurance claim. Sometimes the damage isn't there. Sometimes it wasn't there until he went up.
"This is your bank's fraud department."
Your account has been compromised, and to protect your money, you need to move it to a "safe account." Your real bank will never ask you to do that. Ever. I got one text that looked so real it fooled my wife and me.
"Grandma, it's me."
A panicked voice says he's been in an accident or arrested and needs bail money. The voice sounds exactly like your grandson. It’s AI.
"Pay today or else."
Don't go to the bank, take out a bunch of money, put it in an envelope, and give it to some guy who comes to your house. I don't care who you think he is. Yes, people are falling for this.
They came to you
Notice what every one of these has in common. You didn't start the conversation. They did. And they don't stop. They call again tomorrow, send another letter, follow up by email. Legitimate businesses don't pursue you like that. Persistence isn't a sign something is important. It's a sign someone is working you.
Why it works
These aren't clumsy cons anymore. They sound real, and that's what makes them so dangerous.
The caller ID says "Medicare" or shows your bank's actual phone number. The letter has the right logo and an official-looking case number. The caller already knows your name, your address, and maybe the last four digits of your card. There is office noise. They use all the right words.
A simple rule
If you didn't reach out first, assume it isn't legitimate. If you feel rushed, treat that feeling as a warning sign. Anything real will still be real in an hour.
I sometimes Google authentic-looking emails and texts, and it tells me whether it's a scam.
The other thing I do is always pay with a credit card, never a debit card. I never have debit cards on file anywhere. Credit card companies will refund you money. Banks will not. Credit card companies have far superior security support.
Also, make sure you have a password manager and virus protection. My favorites are Bitwarden and Malwarebytes. They are relatively inexpensive.
The scam you don't know you're in
Read every bank, credit card, and phone statement each month, and question anything you don't recognize. If you have aging parents, offer to sit down with them and go through their statements once in a while. It isn't taking over. It's a second set of eyes. I guarantee you they're paying for stuff they don't know about.
Be Blessed,
Dave