If you qualify for this special payment you should know that no action is required on your part to secure your payment. This means you do not have to fill out any applications, forms, or pay any fees to process your payment. Scammers are sending out mass emails hoping to find someone who will take the bait and provide them with personal information that will be undoubtedly be used to perform identity theft or credit card fraud. Similar to other email scams found in your inbox, this scam claims to have “urgent news” regarding your stimulus payment. Consumers unaware of this scam may be tempted to click on a link provided which will then direct them to a bogus website. Unfortunately email scams have become quite sophisticated in that con artists are able to create websites that look like the real thing. In this case the website will look very much like a government website which may lead individuals to disclose personal information such as bank account numbers, date of birth or social security numbers. The best way to avoid being victim of a scam is to never disclose sensitive information in response to unsolicited correspondence.

The following information provides answers to commonly asked questions regarding this one time payment.

• Eligible individuals include certain individuals who receive Social Security or SSI, Railroad Retirement or Veterans benefits. To qualify for the payment you must have been eligible for benefits in the final two months of 2008 or January of 2009 with an address of record in one of the 50 states or its territories.
• As previously stated there is no action required on your part to receive this payment. Eligible individuals should receive the payment by the end of May 2009 in the standard form they usually receive benefits (direct deposit or paper check). The payment will be seperate from your regular benefit payment and consumers are urged to not contact the Social Security Administration regarding your payment unless you have not received it by June 4, 2009.
• This economic recovery payment will not count as income or earnings for Social Security disability benefits.
• Individuals will only receive this payment one time. This means if you receive more than one type of qualifying benefit you will only get one $250 payment, not one payment for each benefit you currently receive. If both you and your spouse however collect benefits you will each receive one payment.

No Action Needed To Receive Social Security Stimulus Check was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

As more and more information about the latest illness concerns is being brought out by reliable sources, namely the Centers for Disease Control, there are also many with less pleasant intentions taking to the internet to scam you out of your cash and maybe even your identity.

Scammers have already begun sending emails that are meant to appear as new warnings and information about swine flu but in reality pose a real problem to your computer and maybe even your finances. There are email attacks that contain attachments that, if opened, can redirect you to a phishing website or put your computer at risk for contracting a malicious code.

Internet security experts warn computer uses to take active precautions when it comes to dealing with email from sources you do not know or recognize. Never open any email attachment if you do not know the send. Install anti-virus protection and firewalls to protect your PC from attacks. Set your computer to filter spam emails. If an email provides a link in the body text, do not click on it. Delete the message immediately. Make sure your computer security is also kept up to date.

If you want reliable information about the swine flu or other concerns, speak with your doctor or contact the website for the local health agency in your area. Do not trust any website that has swine flu in the URL or any site that asks you to enter your personal or financial information to get more information. Experts report that already several dozen domain names have been reserved using swine flu in some form or another. Chances are good these new sites will try and sell you fake products or information, which many consumers will buy simply out of fear.

Do not let fear inhibit your common sense or your gut instinct. You can be proactive about protecting yourself, your personal information, and your computer and not fall victim to a new scam. There is a lot of unnecessary worries out there, driven by media attention but identity theft and fraud are very real concerns that can affect your health, your wealth, and your well-being.

Swine-Like Scammers Taking Advantage of Fear was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

It is not just the lonely or isolated  individuals that fall victim to fraudulent attempts to part them from their money. Many victims of fraud are actually active individuals who are tempted by savvy criminals who offer great-sounding deals. It is important to keep in mind that the people peddling these deals are not just pushy salespeople; they are hardened criminals who make a living separating victims from their life savings. The following warning signs can help you identify tactics that may indicate your loved one is the target of less than legitimate telemarketers.

Warning signs of telemarketing scams.

• Frequent calls from strangers- In most cases these calls will be offering great opportunities to make money or offering valuable rewards. In some cases the caller may ask for charitable contributions. Remind your parents or older relatives that any opportunity that sounds too good to be true probably is and if they really want to donate to charity they are better off contacting the charity of their choice directly.

• Receiving junk mail- We all receive junk mail however if you notice an increase in junk mail for sweepstakes, prizes and free trips it may be a sign the recipient of the mail has been targeted as a potential victim of fraud. In addition to junk mail you should also be on the lookout for cheaply made items such as costume jewelry, beauty products or other items that may represent “valuable” prizes won in return for participating in some of these sweepstakes or contests.

• Money requests-If you or a loved one receive any requests for money or payments to be sent to unfamiliar out of state companies this is a big red flag that should be not be ignored. Scammers often contact victims with offers of claiming money if the victim sends money to help process the payment or claim to be a relative traveling and in need of cash. Any repeated or large payments to out of state locations should be investigated.

• Requests for personal information- Legitimate companies will not contact you via telephone or email asking for personal information such as your social security number, credit card number, bank account number or other financial information. If you or someone you know receive this type of correspondence DO NOT give any information to the caller or respond via email. Always contact your financial institution directly at the telephone number found on your credit card or statement (not a number given via email or caller) if you have concerns about your account.

Steps to prevent becoming a victim.

1. Become familiar with your loved one’s finances. This may be harder for individuals who are active and in charge of their finances however it is important to know how much money they have coming in and from where as well as their regular expenses.

2. Recommend direct deposit of income if this option is available.

3. Encourage your loved one to consult a lawyer before taking legal steps such as deeding a house or assets or changing their will.

4. Make sure your loved one opens and sends his/her own mail.

5. Help your loved one understand the many scams and tactics that are being used to target the elderly so they are better prepared if they are approached by a fraudulent telemarketer.

Protecting The Elderly From Telephone And Mail Fraud was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

“Phishing” is a type of fraud in which emails are used to procure information from consumers. Emails are set up to look exactly like a bank, retailer, or other company that does business with consumers. The emails can be sent to anyone and in the event it hits the right target, a scam artist can get just about any bit of information they seek. The emails mimic other emails a customer might receive from a company they trust and without noticing subtle differences the consumer may fall for the scam and reply to an email with their social security numbers, personal password information, and other confidential account information. With all of the chaos on Wall Street recently, scammers are using the opportunity to impersonate some of the struggling companies and prey further on their customers.

So what can you do to protect yourself from such an email scam? There are a number of steps to take to ensure you are not being taken for a ride. 

1. Check Certifications

Because many reputable companies have been used in phishing scams, many of them have begun using more advanced security systems when it comes to email correspondence. They will use CertifiedEmail, which physically shows a blue ribbon envelope in each email to assure customers the message is legitimate. Of course most companies will tell you straight out that they will NEVER ask for personal or confidential information via email.

2. Remain Doubtful

Because most companies will not ask for sensitive information via email, it is best to remain skeptical of anyone asking for any information from you. Scammers are good and can often trick unsuspecting customers into believing they “must act now or else…”. If you ever feel concerned about email communication, do not hesitate to contact the company by phone directly and explain the situation. DO NOT use any phone numbers provided in a suspicious email to confirm identity. Get phone numbers directly from your bank statement, back of your credit card, or from the phone book.

3. Never Open an Attachment

If you do not know the sender of an email that has an attachment, never open anything. A reputable company will never send you an attachment as they can be hazardous to your computer system and they are extremely insecure.

4. Never Click a Direct Link

Phishing emails are notorious for including a link for convenience. Links can wreak havoc on your computer because they often will take you to a site where additional personal information can be gathered or where viruses can be launched. If you are not sure of the legitimacy of the sender, type the address to the business yourself into the web browser.

 5. Bring in the Law

There are many organizations and law enforcement agencies that work to stop such malicious attacks on consumers. If you receive an email that you suspect is phishing for information, forward the email to reportphishing@antiphishing.org and help protect other innocent people from becoming a victim of fraud.

For more consumer information about email fraud, visit Anti-Phishing Working Group.

Bad Economy Brings Phishing to the Forefront was created by and is property of American Consumer News.