Fraud Alert 2007
July 2007
If It Looks Too Good To Be True...
District Attorney Scott Storey warns consumers to be wary as they consider investments opportunities boasting large returns. With uncertainty in the economy and more and more people approaching retirement age, it?s normal to wonder if your investment savings will be sufficient. Unfortunately, this eagerness to increase earnings can open the door to investment fraud by slick swindlers. It could be someone simply making cold calls, either by telephone or email, or more often a long-term family friend or advisor.
Investment fraud is insidious. Often the perpetrator is not the stranger making cold calls, but someone well known to the victim. Perhaps the perpetrator is someone that has handled the victim?s funds for a long period of time.
Storey offers the following advice for anyone considering making an investment decision:
- Don?t give in to high pressure sales tactics or an insistence on an immediate decision;
- Beware of a ?guaranteed investment,? one with ?no risk,? or an offer of unbelievable returns on invested funds;
- Don?t heed the warning that you may miss out on a limited offer if you take the time to check with family or other trusted advisors;
Prevention Steps:
ˇ Find out if an investment offer is registered and if the broker is licensed by calling the Colorado Division of Securities at 303-894-2320;
May 2007
Stop Selling My Name!
One of the best ways to protect yourself from identity theft and telemarketing fraud 
is to stop businesses and charities from selling your name. To remove your name from most marketing lists, follow this checklist:
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Don't play direct mail sweepstakes or talk to telemarketers.
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Sign up for the Colorado No Call List for both your home and cell phones at www.coloradonocall.com or by calling 303-776-2678 or 1-800-309-7041.
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Register also with the National Do Not Call Registry at www.ftc.gov/donotcall or by calling 1-888-382-1222. You must re-register every five years.
- Tell phone companies and others with whom you do business to put you on their "DO NOT CALL LISTS" - your right under a Federal Rule.
- "OPT OUT" of credit reporting agencies' unsolicited credit card offers at www.optoutprescreen.com or 1-888-567-8688 ? you have to enter your social security number.
- Call the customer service numbers for your credit card (s) and ask to "OPT OUT" of marketing programs, including "convenience checks."
- Reduce junk e-mail and mail by contacting the Direct Marketing Association at Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 282, Carmel, New York 10512 (see attached form) or online at www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance. There is a $1 fee to be added to the Mail Preference Center.
- Make an annual charitable giving plan and give to just a few charities once a year. Request that your name not be shared with other organizations. Ask all other charitable solicitors to remove your name from their mailing lists.
March 2007
Reducing Mail Identity Theft
Mail theft is one of the most common ways that thieves steal information for identity theft crimes. District Attorney Scott Storey strongly urges residents to:
- Take your bills to be paid inside the Post Office; do not leave them in your mailbox or in street corner postal boxes. Consider using automated payment plans or paying bills online through your financial institution ? both are safer than mailing a check. Thieves will take the account numbers from the bottom of your check and counterfeit new checks using readily available check-making software.
- When processing your income tax returns, opt to file the return electronically, or at the least, mail the return inside the Post Office. Tax returns include Social Security Numbers, which when stolen can be used to open fraudulent credit accounts or to seek employment.
- Have paychecks, benefit, pension and Social Security checks direct deposited into your account, rather than having a check mailed to you. Expecting an income tax refund? It's always wise to ask the Department of Revenue and the U.S. Treasury to send the refund electronically to your account.
- When ordering new checks, ask your bank or credit union to receive and hold the checks for you, rather than have them mailed to your home. If your checks are stolen, you have 30 days from the date of your last bank statement to report the forgery to your financial institution, and the most for which you can be held responsible is $50.
- Call your bank and credit card customer service and ask to "opt out" of all marketing programs, including ´convenience' checks mailings.
- Opt out of unsolicited credit card offers, by calling 1-888-567-8688 or online at www.optoutprescreen.com. You will be required to enter your Social Security Number, but it is secure.
For Assistance Call:
District Attorney's Fraud Line 303-271-6980
Email: casefraudline@jeffco.us
CASE is a Partnership of the District Attorney and the
Community to Prevent Financial Exploitation
Last Modified: Mar 28, 2009 10:19 PM
