We provide this free financial resource to visitors of the Community Room of SeniorSSuperStoreS in an effort to keep baby boomers, seniors and the elderly informed of matters that can affect their lifestyle.

Courtesy of our friends at www,scambusters.org

New Publications Available from the FCC

The FCC has provided some very interesting information called "Consumer Alerts and Factsheets." It provides information on important telephone, broadcasting and Internet scams, and they should be of special interest to seniors and the elderly.

For example, a new scam alert was recently posted called "Beware of Telemarketing Scam."

Here's how this scam works:

Your phone rings. The call is from someone claiming to be an official of one of the states' Do-Not-Call registry, or some antifraud consumer group. The scammer asks if you want to be on your state's Do-Not-Call list, or asks you to verify your previous registration on such a list.

As the call progresses, the scammer asks you for personal information, such as your Social Security, credit card and/or bank account numbers, supposedly to confirm that the scammer is talking with the correct person.

The scammers then have the info to commit identity fraud.

Here is what the FCC says about Do-Not-Call registries:

You should not receive a call from such a registry. Signing up for these state-sponsored Do-Not-Call lists is generally initiated by the consumer. It is usually free (or requires only a very nominal fee).

Once you are signed up for such a Do-Not-Call registry, there is no reason for follow-up calls. Further, you should NEVER need to verify your registration with personal or financial information.

For more on this Telemarketing scam, visit: ==> http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/telemarketscam.html
For the list of FCC Consumer Alerts and Factsheets, visit: ==> http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/information_directory.html

For instructions about how to remove your name from Do-Not-Call lists with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), a free consumer service sponsored by the Direct Marketing Association, go to HOW TO REMOVE YOUR NAME FROM TELEPHONE CALL LISTS in our Community Room.