WELCOME OUR PRESENTERS FOR TODAY'S SESSION.
WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE CAROL CANDO-PINEDA WHO IS AT THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION IN THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER AND BUSINESS EDUCATION.
AND MARTY JOHANNES COMES TO US FROM THE JOHNSON COUNTY LIBRARY IN KANSAS, WHERE SHE SERVES AS THE CAREERS AND PERSONAL FINANCE LIBRARIAN.
AND WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE BOTH OF YOU HERE BRINGING YOUR GREAT WORK TO THE WEBJUNCTION COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CAROL KICK US OFF, SO WELCOME, CAROL, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JENNIFER.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND WELCOME EVERYBODY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME SOME OF YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I THINK YOU PROBABLY ALREADY REALIZED THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PATRONS THAT ARE BEING TARGETED FOR SCAMS, FOR FRAUD, FOR IDENTITY THEFT, AND THEY MIGHT NOT ALWAYS IDENTIFY IT AS SUCH WHEN IT FIRST CROSSES THEIR PATH.
BUT I BET YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SPOT IT AND MAYBE EITHER HELP THEM AVOIDED IT OR SHOW THEM WHAT THEY COULD DO TO MAYBE START TO RECOVER FROM IT.
SO LET'S GET STARTED.
IF I CAN FIND THAT SMALLEST ARROW IN THE UNIVERSE, THERE WE GO.
SO THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WAS OUR WEBSITE FOR LIBRARIANS, IT'S A CURE RATED LIST OF OUR MOST POPULAR RESOURCES, AND YOU CAN GET THERE BY GOING TO FTC.GOV/LIBRARIES.
AND IT'S ORGANIZED BY AUDIENCE.
SO IT STARTS OUT, HERE'S MATERIALS FOR EVERYONE, THEN FOR IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS, FOR NEW ARRIVALS TO THE COUNTRY, FOR SPANISH-SPEAKERS, FOR PEOPLE REENTERING AFTER INCARCERATION, FOR MILITARY FAMILIES, ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONSUMERS THAT WE'VE CREATED SPECIALIZED MATERIALS FOR.
OR SOME SORT OF A VERSION OF OUR CONSUMER MATERIALS.
DEPENDING ON WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM OTHER INTERMEDIARIES OF PARTNERS THAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY WITH CONSUMERS.
AND WITH ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF COMMUNITIES.
AND FROM TALKING TO THOSE CONSUMERS THEMSELVES.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT FRAUD CAN AFFECT EVERYBODY.
BUT IT MIGHT AFFECT DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS, WE MIGHT BE TARGETED IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND WE MIGHT BE TARGETED WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF SCAMS.
AND SO TODAY I'M GOING TO RASMUSSEN POLL THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR ONES TO GIVE YOU THE RED FLAGS OF WHAT SOME OF THOSE SCAMS ARE.
BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET ON TO FTC.GOV/LIBRARIES AND LOOK AROUND TO SEE HOW WE'VE CURE RATED THE RESOURCES TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE MOST USEFUL FOR IS PROGRAMMING, TO ORDER PUBLICATIONS TO HAND OUT, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF FREE BOOKMARKS THAT YOU CAN ORDER BY THE BRICK, AND JUST HAND THEM OUT TO YOUR FOLKS, MAKE THEM AVAILABLE IN DISPLAYS.
SOME OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAVE TALKING POINTS AND SLIDES.
OUR CONSUMER.GOV INFORMATION WAS CREATED FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE A LOWER LITERALLY LEVEL, WHERE THEY'RE NEW ARRIVALS OR THEIR LITERACY IN ENGLISH ISN'T VERY HIGH.
AND SO WE'VE GOT LESSON PLANS THAT YOU COULD PARTNER WITH TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, CLASSES USING SOME OF THESE MATERIALS AS A PRACTICAL ADVICE, PRACTICAL TIPS WHILE PEOPLE ARE LEARNING THE LANGUAGE.
WE'VE ALSO FOUND SINCE WE'VE CREATED THIS THAT THESE MATERIALS ARE VERY, VERY CONSUMER FRIENDLY, WE TOOK TRAINING WITH THE CENTER FOR APPLIED LINGUISTICS TO LEARN HOW TO WRITE FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT USING IDIOM AND NOT GETTING TOO CLOAKAL, AND DEFINE -- CLOAKAL, AND -- COULD OAK WALL AND DEFINING TERMS WITHIN THE BODY OF THE INFORMATION RATHER THAN NOT EVEN JARGONY TERMS, THINGS THAT WE MIGHT THINK ARE PRETTY SELF-EVIDENT LIKE CREDIT REPORT, BUT THEY MIGHT NOT BE SELF-EVIDENT TO EVERYONE AND LEARNING HOW TO DEFINE THOSE APPROPRIATELY SO WE DON'T LOSE PEOPLE BEFORE WE GIVE THEM THE HELPFUL INFORMATION.
AND SO THOSE -- THAT MATERIAL HAS LESSON PLANS IN THE VIDEOS AND WE'RE FINDING IT'S APPEALING TO JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR LITERACY LEVEL IS.
BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY EASY TO SCAN, TO READ QUICKLY, TO GET THE ANSWER RIGHT AWAY AND BE ABLE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING.
SO THAT WAS AN INTERESTING LESSON FOR US.
AND YOU CAN SEE WE SUGGEST USING THOSE MATERIALS WITH A VARIETY OF PEOPLE.
WE'VE GOT A FEW PROGRAMMING IDEAS AS WELL.
EVERYTHING THAT I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY IS ON FTC.GOV/LIBRARIES, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU DIRECT URLs IF YOU WANT TO JUMP TO THAT PARTICULAR RESOURCE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU JUST A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
FOR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS OR PEOPLE WITH A LOWER LITERACY LEVEL, FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS, FOR OLDER PATRONS, WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED PASS IT ON, FOR MILITARY CONSUMERS, WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR THEM, AND FOR PEOPLE RE10ERING THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S JUST BY WAY OF A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
LET'S JUMP INTO THE SCAM INFORMATION.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE ON SCAMS IS, YOU WANT TO FOLLOW THE MONEY.
SHOW ME THE MONEY.
BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE RED FLAGS OF HOW WE CAN SPOT A SCAM AND IT'S A NICE QUICK RULE OF THUMB SO THAT MAYBE CONSUMERS CAN STOP AND THINK FOR A MINUTE BEFORE THEY MAKE THAT MISTAKE.
LET'S START WITH A LITTLE QUIZ.
YOU CAN ANSWER IN THE CHAT BOX IF YOU WANT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, MAYBE JUST THINK ABOUT IT.
THE QUESTION IS, HOW WILL MOST SCAMMERS ASK YOU TO PAY?
IS IT BY WIRE TRANSFER, A CASH RELOAD CARD, A CREDIT CARD, OR A GIFT CARD?
LET'S TAKE A SECOND AND SEE.
THINK ABOUT IT.
I'VE GOT SOME VERY SMART SOPHISTICATED PEOPLE HERE.
SO ONE PERSON NAILED THAT ON THE HEAD.
IT WAS KIND OF A TRICK QUESTION.
THEY WILL ASK YOU TO PAY BY ALL OF THESE METHODS, BUT THE ONE THAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST INSIDIOUS RIGHT NOW, AND GAINING IN POPULARITY, IS THE GIFT CARD.
SO IT'S PRETTY EASY FOR US TO SAY TO CONSUMERS, IF SOMEBODY ASKS YOU TO PAY FOR SOMETHING, ANYTHING, WITH A GIFT CARD, IT'S A SCAM.
DON'T DO IT.
DON'T GO GET THAT GIFT CARD, DON'T READ THEM THE PIN NUMBER.
IT'S JUST NOT LEGITIMATE.
THERE'S NO GOVERNMENT AGENCY, THERE'S NO BUSINESS, THERE'S NOBODY THAT'S GOING TO ASK YOU TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT WAY.
SO THE REASON IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH AN ODD SAYING, BUT THE REASON IT'S POPULAR IS THAT THE REASON THAT WIRE TRANSFERS OR FAKE CHECKS ARE POPULAR METHODS FOR SCAMMERS TO ASK YOU TO PAY, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE CASH.
AND SO ONCE YOU HAND IT OVER TO THEM, IT'S GONE.
IT'S PRETTY HARD TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK, IF YOU CAN GET IT BACK AT ALL.
YOU CAN SEE THIS GRAPHIC HERE WE HAVE.
THE PERCENTAGE OF COURAGES WHO TOLD US THAT THEY PAID A SCAMMER WITH A GIFT CARD HAS INCREASED 270% IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
IT'S AN ENORMOUS JUMP.
THE TIME THIS WAS CREATED, 42% OF THE PEOPLE WHO PAID THE SCAMMER WITH A GIFT CARD USED iTUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY.
IT'S NOT STRICTLY THOSE TWO CARDS, THEY'LL UPAROUND TO ANY NUMBER OF CARDS.
BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT SCAMMERS ARE THINKING.
NOW THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT FAKE CHECKS HAVE GONE AWAY, THAT FRAUD THROUGH WIRE TRANSFERS HAS GONE AWAY, THAT PEOPLE AREN'T TRYING TO GET YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER TO EITHER CREATE ACCOUNTS IN YOUR NAME, CAUSE IDENTITY THEFT, THOSE THINGS ALL DO HAPPEN, BUT THERE'S JUST BEEN A BIG SPIKE WITH GIFT CARDS.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT TO THE AVERAGE PERSON THAT IT'S A SCAM.
SO IF YOU DO RUN ACROSS A PATRON THAT'S PAID THIS WAY, THERE IS SOME ADVICE.
IT IS LIKE CASH.
THE MONEY IS PROBABLY GONE, BUT IF THEY CALL THE COMPANY THAT ISSUED THE GIFT CARD RIGHT AWAY, AND TELL THEM THAT THIS -- THE GIFT CARD WAS USED IN A SCAM, AND ASK IF THEY CAN REFUND THE MONEY, IT'S A LONG SHOT, BUT IF YOU DO IT FAST ENOUGH AND YOU ASK FOR A REFUND, IT'S ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY.
SO MOST TIMES THERE'S NOT A CHARGEBACK, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT MONEY BACK, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REPORT IT SO THE COMPANIES KNOW THEIR CARDS ARE BEING USED FOR FRAUD, AND THERE IS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU MIGHT GET A PARTIAL REFUND BACK FOR THE PATRON.
SO THAT'S IMPORTANT.
SO WHAT I'VE JUST BEEN ALSO ALLUDING TO ARE THESE FAKE CHECK SCAMS.
YOU -- IF YOU'VE HEARD OF GIFT CARDS I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD OF FAKE CHECK SCAMS.
IT'S WHEN THE SCAMMER APPROACHES YOU WITH SOME KIND OF A STORY, VERY OFTEN IT'S LIKE A CAREGIVER SCAM, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE, OR SOME SORT OF AN EMPLOYMENT SCAM OR YOU'VE WON A PRIZE, AND YOU JUST NEED TO -- THEY'LL SEND YOU THE CHECK WITH THE PRIZE, BUT YOU NEED TO WIRE BACK THE TAXES, OR WIRE BACK A FEE, OR I ACCIDENTALLY OVERPAID YOU, COULD YOU JUST SEND ME THE -- I DON'T WANT TO CUT ANOTHER CHECK, JUST WIRE ME BACK THE EXTRA THAT YOU OWE ME BACK.
AND OF COURSE PEOPLE IMAGINE, I HAVE THE CHECK IN HAND, SO WHAT'S BETTER THAN THAT?
IT CAN'T BE A SCAM, THEY SENT ME THE CHECK, I DEPOSITED IT, IT'S IN MY BANK.
BUT WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARS THE CHECK IS CLEARED, JUST BECAUSE THE CHECK HAS BEEN DEPOSITED IN THE BANK DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOOD.
IT MIGHT TAKE A WEEK OR TWO WEEKS FOR THE BANK TO ACTUALLY SEND TO IT THROUGH THAT WHOLE CLEARANCE PROCESS AND REALIZE THERE WERE NO FUNDS AVAILABLE TO PAY THAT CHECK THAT IT'S FAKE.
AND SO IF YOU WIRE BACK THE MONEY, WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING, YOU'RE NEVER REIMBURSED.
IT NEVER GOES BACK INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.
THAT'S YOUR OWN MONEY THAT YOU'VE JUST WIRED BACK, AND THAT REALLY IS GONE.
THERE'S USUALLY -- THEY USUALLY WIRE THEM TO A FAKE PLACE THAT MOVES FROM -- YOU KNOW, PERIODICALLY, SO THERE'S NO WAY TO REALLY TRACE IT.
SO THAT ONE IS INSIDIOUS BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK THEY'VE DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
THEY THINK, I HAVE THE CHECK AND I'VE DEPOSITED IT, SO IT MUST BE GOOD.
SO AN INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT WE'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF DATA SHOWING THAT YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIM TO A SCAM THAT APPROACH THEM WITH A FAKE CHECK.
PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE METHOD FOR THE CHECKS HAVING TO CLEAR, AND THAT IT TAKES EXTRA TIME.
AND THEN IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS A PERFECTLY REASONABLE SAFE THING.
I CAN SAY THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE IN MY LIFE WHO HAVE COME TO ME AND SAID, THIS DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A SCAM.
THEY SENT ME THE CHECK AND I HAD TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THE WHOLE SITUATION AND THE WHOLE BACKGROUND OF IT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING, THAT MEANS OUR MESSAGING MIGHT DIFFER A LITTLE BIT IF WE'RE, SAY I ALSO DO OUTREACH TO MILITARY AUDIENCES, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF SERVICE MEMBERS ARE THE AGES OF 18-24, 29, AND SO WE MAY SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME EXPLAINING FAKE CHECKS AND HOW THOSE SCAMS WORK THAN I MIGHT WITH OLDER PEOPLE WHO PERHAPS HAVEN'T HEARD OF THE GIFT CARD ANGLE YET.
IT JUST SORT OF DEPENDS.
AND YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING YOU'LL SEE IS THAT, SAY, FOR INSTANCE, WITH IDENTITY THEFT, WHEN IDENTITY THEFT ORIGINATED WHEN WE FIRST KNEW WHAT THAT WAS, IT WAS A THING 20 YEARS AGO, WHATEVER IT WAS.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT CREDIT CARD FRAUD.
AND THEN THAT CHANGED OVER TIME AND IT STARTED TO BECOME MORE AND MORE ABOUT STEALING PEOPLE'S INFORMATION TO GET THEIR TAX REFUND.
AND THAT JUST SKYROCKETED, AND THAT'S FALLEN OFF A LITTLE BIT AND WE'RE SEEING NOW WE'RE BACK TO CREDIT CARD FRAUD AS BEING KIND OF THE UP AND COMING FORM OF IDENTITY THEFT.
SO SCAMS EVOLVE OVER TIME, SCAMMERS' TACTICS EVOLVE, SOMETIMES THEY GO BACK TO OLD THINGS AND JUST PUNCH IT UP A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT NEW, BUT IT'S NEW TO SOMEBODY, AND SO THAT'S HOW THEY MANAGE TO STAY IN BUSINESS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF SPOT THAT SCAM.
SO YOU MUST HAVE HEARD OF THE IRS SCAM, WHERE THE CALLER CALLS YOU, PRETENDS TO BE FROM THE IRS, SAYS YOU NEED TO PAY YOUR TAX TESS RIGHT AWAY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ARRESTED, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PENALTY CHARGE, THEY THREATEN ALL KINDS OF THINGS, SOMETIMES THEY'LL SAY YOU'LL BE DEPORTED, YOU'LL LOSE YOUR DRIVER'S LIE SENSE IF YOU DON'T PAY YOUR TAXES IMMEDIATELY.
SO FOR A WHILE THAT WAS THE SKYROCKETING SCAM WE SAW AN AWFUL LOT OF THAT.
THAT STILL EXISTS, BUT IT'S BEEN SO PLANTED BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY -- SUPPLANTED BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY SCAMMERS.
SO YOU GET A PHONE CALL AND THE CALLER WILL SAY YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER HAS BEEN COMPROMISED, IT'S ON A LIST OF NUMBERS THAT ARE ABOUT TO EXPIRE, OR THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE DIRELY WRONG WITH YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, AND IT'S ABOUT TO BE CANCELED IF YOU DON'T FIX IT RIGHT AWAY.
WE CAN HELP YOU FIX IT, YOU HAVE TO PAY THIS FEE, IT'S A RUSH SO WE HAVE TO ADD THIS EXTRA FEE ON IT.
AND SO YOU CAN IMAGINE, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY DAYS BEFORE ANYBODY HAD HEARD OF THIS, PEOPLE WERE VERY PANICKY, VERY WORRIED, THEY WEREN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER.
HOW DO I FIX THIS?
THEN THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE DEAL WITH THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, AND THEY WOULD CALL AND TRY TO STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT, AND SO IT'S REALLY JUST AN IMPOSTER TRYING TO GET YOUR INFORMATION.
AND SO AGAIN, THIS WAS THE KIND OF SCAM THAT IN 2017 WE HEARD FROM ABOUT 3200 PEOPLE, AND THEY LOST ABOUT $210,000 TOTAL.
THAT YEAR.
THOSE 3200 PEOPLE ON SOCIAL SECURITY SCAMS.
IN 2018, WE HEARD FROM 10 TIMES THAT MANY PEOPLE.
35,000.
THEY REPORTED THE SCAM AND THEY HAD LOST $10 MILLION.
SO YOU CAN SEE, NUMBER ONE, WHAT AN ENORMOUS JUMP IT IS, AND WHAT AN ENORMOUS LOSS OF MONEY.
PART OF THE REASON THAT PEOPLE -- LET ME BACK UP A SECOND.
WE KNOW FROM OUR WORK THAT SCAMMERS ARE VERY, VERY PROFESSIONAL.
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THOSE PAIN POINTS MIGHT BE, OR HOW TO PREY ON YOUR EMOTIONS TO GET YOU OFF BALANCE JUST LONG ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THEM, TO TAKE ACTION, TO MAKE THAT MISTAKE.
AND MOST OF THE TIME I THINK PEOPLE, IF THEY CAN STOP, TAKE A BREATH, AND THINK ABOUT IT, REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM THE PRESSURE, SOMETHING IN THE BACK OF THEIR HEAD WILL SAY, THIS DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT.
I'M NOT GOING TO DO THIS, OR I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEBODY.
BUT THEY WON'T ACT RIGHT AWAY.
THAT'S WHY THE SCAMMERS FRY TO PRESSURE YOU SO MUCH AND TRY TO GET YOU TO ACT RIGHT AWAY, IMMEDIATELY, RIGHT NOW, IT HAS TO HAPPEN NOW, NOW, NOW.
IF THEY CAN GET YOU AFRAID ENOUGH, THEN -- AND PRESSURE YOU THAT YOU NEED TO ACT RIGHT AWAY, THAT'S THAT SWEET SPOT WHERE PEOPLE KIND OF LOSE THEMSELVES FOR A MINUTE AND THEY ACT BECAUSE THEY REALLY FEEL LIKE IT'S IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO ACT, WHEREAS IT'S REALLY IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO STOP, TAKE A BREATH, AND THEY'LL USUALLY SPOT IT AND SAVE THEMSELVES FROM IT.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY CAN BE SO CONVINCING, THE SCAMMERS CAN BE SO CONVINCING IS THAT THE SOCIAL SECURITY SCAMS IN PARTICULAR WILL SHOW ON CALLER I.D., IT WILL SHOW THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
SO IT SEEMS REALLY REAL.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT IT AT FIRST GLANCE IT SEEMS OF COURSE IT'S LEGITIMATE.
BUT CALLER I.D. CAN BE FAKED, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE SCAMMERS DO.
IF SOMEBODY REALLY WANTS TO CHECK IT OUT, IF THEY'RE REALLY CONCERNED, I WOULD TELL THEM TO HANG UP, LOOK UP THE NUMBER OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, WHETHER IT'S LOCALLY OR A MAIN NUMBER AND CALL THEM AND TRY TO STRAIGHTEN OUT WHETHER EVERYTHING IS OKAY.
IT MIGHT TAKE YOU A WHILE, SOME PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO THINK IT'S WORTH THEIR EFFORT, BUT FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S REALLY NERVOUS ABOUT IT, I WOULD SAY GO AHEAD AND DO IT.
BUT ALWAYS CALL THE THEM YOU'VE LOOKED UP, DON'T CALL BACK A NUMBER THAT'S CALLED YOU.
AND IF SOMEBODY CALLS YOU AND SAYS, THEY'RE FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, JUST HANG UP.
SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THE REST OF THESE A LITTLE BIT QUICKLY BECAUSE SO MANY OF THEM SORT OF ACT THE MECHANISM IS VERY, VERY SIMILAR.
YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD OF TECH SUPPORT SCAMS, IT STARTS WITH A POP-UP ON YOUR COMPUTER AND IT SAYS THERE'S SOME KIND OF AN ERROR, THERE'S A COMPUTER SCAM, CALL THIS NUMBER, CALL IT RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE YOUR PERSONAL DATA, WE'LL HELP YOU SAVE YOUR DATA.
AND THEN THEY EITHER MAKE YOU BUY SOME SOFTWARE THAT'S USELESS OR THEY TAKE YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION AND TELL YOU THEY'RE GETTING YOU THE SOFTWARE OR HELPING YOU TO CLEAN UP YOUR COMPUTER, THEY'RE REALLY JUST TAKING YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER.
AND YOU DON'T EVER WANT ANYBODY, DON'T EVER LET THEM REMOTE CONTROL INTO YOUR COMPUTER, EVEN IF THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO FIX IT, BECAUSE THEN THEY HAVE ACCESS TO EVERY FILE THAT'S ON YOUR COMPUTER.
SO YOU CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO WE TELL PEOPLE IF SOMEBODY HAS CALLED YOU AND SAYS -- OR YOU GET A POP-UP THAT SAYS YOUR COMPUTER IS IN DIRE DANGER, WE'VE DETECTED THESE THREATS, CALL US AND WE'LL HELP YOU FIX IT, DON'T CALL.
DELETE THE POP-UP.
IF SOMEBODY CALLS YOU AND MAKES THAT SAME CLAIM, HANG UP ON THEM.
THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO SCARE YOU TO GET THEM TO CALL, TO GET YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER.
THIS IS ONE OF THE TOP SCAMS WHERE OLDER ADULTS TOLD US THEY LOST MONEY LAST YEAR.
WE GOT ABOUT 143,000 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TECH SUPPORT SCAMS.
NO LEGITIMATE COMPANY, NO LEGITIMATE TECH COMPANY IS GOING TO CALL YOU AND MAKE THAT KIND OF CLAIM, OR TRY TO GET INTO YOUR COMPUTER OR TRY TO FIX THINGS THAT WAY.
I JUST SEE IN THE CHAT BAR HERE THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS AND POSSIBLE SCAMS ARISING WITH THAT.
WE ARE CONCERNED AS WELL.
WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING YET, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE MONITORING, BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, SCAMMERS FOLLOW THE HEADLINES, AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING NEW THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
SO FAMILY EMERGENCY SCAMS ARE JUST WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE.
SOMEBODY CALLS AND PRETENDS TO BE A FAMILY MEMBER IN TROUBLE, AND WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THESE I THOUGHT, THAT SEEMS ODD, WOULDN'T YOU RECOGNIZE YOUR GRANDSON'S VOICE?
OR YOUR COUSIN'S VOICE?
OR YOUR SISTER?
BUT THE WAY THESE CALLS PLAY OUT IS THAT THERE'S USUALLY A LOT OF STATIC, THE PERSON THAT YOUR RELATIVE IS ON THE PHONE FOR JUST A SECOND AND THEY VERY OFTEN HAND THE PHONE OFF TO SOMEBODY ELSE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE A JUDGE, YOU KNOW, A COLONEL IN THE ARMY, A POLICE OFFICER, IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY.
AND THEY SOUND VERY AUTHORITATIVE AND THEY SAY, YOUR LOVED ONE HAS JUST BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, THEY'RE IN THE HOSPITAL AND WE NEED MONEY RIGHT NOW TO TREAT THEM.
THEY CAN'T HAVE SURGERY UNTIL WE GET PAYMENT.
WE HAVE TO TOW THEIR CAR, WE HAVE TO HELP THEM.
THEY WERE CAUGHT WITH DRUGS AND THEY'RE ARRESTED IN A MEXICAN PRISON RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE TO SEND MONEY SO THEY CAN SEE A JUDGE.
FOR BAIL, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEY MAKE UP ALL KINDS OF STORIES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THAT.
AND THEY DO SOME SOCIAL ENGINEERING TO TRY TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET YOU TO REVEAL SOME INFORMATION THAT CAN HELP THEM SOUND MORE BELIEVABLE.
SO THEY MAY SAY, GRANDMA, THIS IS -- IT'S ME, IT'S ME.
AND WAIT FOR YOU TO SAY, OH, JIMMY S. THAT YOU?
YEAH, IT'S JIMMY.
AND THEN THEY PULL THE PHONE AWAY AND THEY SORT OF CARRY ON THE SCAM FROM THERE.
ONE OF THE HALLMARKS IS THEY'LL SAY, DON'T CALL MY MOM AND DAD, OR DON'T CALL MY HUSBAND, OR DON'T CALL WHOEVER, THEY'LL KILL ME IF THEY KNOW THIS HAPPENED, YOU HAVE TO HELP ME.
AND -- OR IF THEY HAVE THE PRETEND OFFICIAL INVOLVED, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GET INTO THAT, THEY JUST SORT OF PRESSURE YOU AND THREATEN YOU.
MOST OF THE TIME PEOPLE CAN PRETTY EASILY DETERMINE WHETHER THEIR LOVED ONE IS IN DANGER OR IF THEY WERE OKAY, BUT THAT'S WHAT -- WE TELL PEOPLE TO HANG UP, BECAUSE IF YOUR LOVED ONE IS IN TROUBLE, YOU CAN TRACK THEM DOWN, YOU CAN VERIFY THE PHONE CALL IS REALLY JUST TRYING TO GET YOU TO GIVE OUT INFORMATION AND TO GIVE OUT A CREDIT CARD NUMBER OR BUY A GIFT CARD SO THEY CAN TAKE YOUR MONEY.
THE WAY THEY LOOK CONVINCING IS SOMETIMES THEY'LL SCOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS TO GET INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN SPRINKLE INTO THE CALL SO THAT IT APPEARS REALLY LEGITIMATE.
AND THAT'S WHAT GIVES PEOPLE PAUSE.
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO WIRE THEM MONEY OR BUY A GIFT CARD OR ANYTHING ELSE, OR GIVE THEM CREDIT CARD NUMBERS.
FOR THE NANNY CAREGIVER SCAMS, YOU MIGHT SEE ONLINE EMPLOYMENT SITES LIKE CRAIGSLIST AND IN SITES LIKE THAT WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT LOOK FOR EMPLOYMENT AND YOU'LL GET A RESPONSE THAT SAYS, OH, GREAT, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU, I'VE GOT AN ELDERLY MOTHER WHO ALSO NEEDS CARE, YOU'D HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF HER AS WELL, OR I HAVE A DISABLED CHILD.
AND THEY HIRE YOU RIGHT AWAY AND THEY SEND YOU A CHECK AND THEY SAY OH, I SENT YOU TOO MUCH, COULD YOU -- I'LL BE SENDING A WHEELCHAIR TO YOUR HOUSE TO USE FOR WHEN WE COME OVER AND WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO WATCH MY SON.
YOU CAN JUST SIGN FOR IT, I'LL SEND YOU THE MONEY IN ADVANCE SO YOU HAVE IT TO PAY THE GUY FOR THE WHEELCHAIR.
AND THEY HAVE A PARTNER AND YOU WIRE THE MONEY TO THE PARTNER, YOU THINK YOU'RE PAYING FOR A WHEELCHAIR AND YOU'RE REALLY JUST SENDING IT TO THE SCAMMER, SOMEBODY THAT THE SCAMMER IS WORKING WITH, OR THE SCAMMER THEMSELVES JUST USING A DIFFERENT NAME.
OR THEY HAVE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXCUSES BUT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING PLAUSIBLE WHERE THEY SENT YOU TOO MUCH MONEY AND YOU HAVE TO WIRE IT BACK.
WE SAW THIS AN AWFUL LOT WHEN IT CAME TO NANNY AND CAREGIVER ADDISON FOR A WHILE.
BUT IT CAN -- ADS.
IT CAN HAPPEN IN OTHER EMPLOYMENT ENVIRONMENTS WHERE SOMEBODY IS HIRING YOU FOR SOME KIND OF A SERVICE, AND THEY'RE FAR AWAY AND THEY'RE GOING TO SEND ACHECK AND THEY WANT YOU TO WIRE IT BACK.
I THINK -- IS THIS A GOOD TIME TO STOP FOR QUESTIONS?
BECAUSE I SEE A LOT COMING IN THROUGH THE CHAT.
>> THERE ARE A COUPLE, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO COVER, BUT MAYBE A COUPLE HERE WOULD BE GOOD.
THERE WAS A QUESTION WHEN YOU WERE SHARING THE DATA YOU HAVE ABOUT THE CHANGES AND THE KINDS OF SCAMS, IF YOU NOTE AVERAGE AMOUNT LOST IN A SCAM.
>> YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON THE SCAM, BUT I KNOW FOR IMPOSTER SCAMS IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING LIKE $400, $450.
IT'S HIGHER FOR MILITARY VICTIMS, AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHY.
WE'RE TRYING TO GATHER MORE DATA TO SEE WHY THAT WOULD BE.
BUT IT COULD BE ABOUT $400, THAT'S THE MEDIAN LOSS.
>> THAT'S INTERESTING.
SO A GREAT QUESTION ABOUT THIS AUDIENCE WHO IS SERVING PATRONS, WHEN A PATRON COMES IN TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE PRETTY CERTAIN IS A SCAM, CAN WE REPORT IT ON THEIR BEHALF?
OR DOES IT NEED TO BE FROM THE VICTIM?
>> YOU CERTAINLY CAN REPORT IT ON THEIR BEHALF, OR YOU COULD OPEN UP FSMTC'S COMPLAINT SYSTEM, WHICH IS FTC.GOV/COMPLAINT.
YOU COULD HAVE SOMEBODY SIT THERE WITH YOU AND YOU COULD HELP THEM PUT IN THE INFORMATION OR PUT IT IN FOR THEM AS THEY'RE TELLING YOU, OR YOU COULD GIVE THEM THE LINK AND THEY COULD DO IT, DEPENDING ON THEIR PROFICIENCY.
>> OKAY.
THAT'S A GREAT APPROACH FOR SURE.
I THINK THAT WAS GOOD FOR NOW.
IF YOU WANT TO FINISH UP AND WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHERS.
>> I'LL SCOOT ALONG, BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE GOT MORE TO COF AND WE CAN TAKE MORE QUESTIONS.
ONLINE ROMANCE.
SO I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THIS, DATING SITES, A LOT OF PEOPLE REFER TO IT AS CATFISHING.
SOMEBODY DEVELOPS A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT THEY START TO ASK FOR MONEY, THERE NEEDS TO BE -- THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENING AND THERE'S ALWAYS AN EXCUSE THAT THEY NEED FOR YOU TO SEND THEM MONEY.
AND THEY MAY ASK YOU TO -- FOR A CREDIT CARD NUMBER TO BUY SOMETHING, THEY MAY ASK YOU FOR A GIFT CARD, OR THEY MAY SEND YOU MONEY AND ASK YOU TO WIRE EXTRA BACK.
THE POINT OF THIS ONE IS THAT THEY TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO SORT OF DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU, SO YOU REALLY DO FEEL TRUSTING LIKE YOU KNOW THIS PERSON, AND THEY'RE JUST OUT FOR YOUR MONEY.
SO WE TELL PEOPLE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE RED FLAGS LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY CAN NEVER MEET YOU.
THAT THERE'S ALWAYS AN EXCUSE, AND THEY NEED MONEY AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY NEED MORE MONEY.
IT STARTS SMALL AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT THEY'RE ASKING YOU FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
I'LL JUST MENTION THIS KIND OF BRIEFLY, BECAUSE I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE STUDENT LOAN DEBT THAT COME IN, IT'S PROBABLY THE LARGEST FORM OF CONSUMER DEBT RIGHT NOW FOR YOUR PATRONS.
SO THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT PEOPLE GET DESPERATE, THEY'RE IN DEBT WITH THEIR STUDENT LOANS, AND SCAMMERS SORT OF COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK TO SAY, WE CAN HELP YOU REDUCE YOUR DEBT, WE CAN NEGOTIATE IT DOWN SO YOU DON'T OWE ANYTHING OR THAT YOU OWE MUCH LESS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE DEBT RELIEF COMPANIES THAT ARE REALLY JUST SCAMS.
AND IT'S ILLEGAL FOR A COMPANY TO CHARGE YOU AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE THEY CAN HELP YOU.
SO ONLY A SCAMMER IS GOING TO PROMISE YOU THAT SUPER FAST LOAN FORGIVENESS, AND AS I SAID BEFORE, SCAMMERS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO TRY TO GET YOU TO ACT FAST BEFORE YOU CATCH ON THAT THEY'RE A SCAMMER.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET YOU TO SIGN UP AND PAY BEFORE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO READ ANY OF THE MATERIALS OR UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SIGNING UP FOR, BUT THEY ENTICE YOU WITH THAT IDEA THAT THEY CAN HELP YOU LIFT YOURSELF OUT OF DEBT.
YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY A FEE FOR THAT UP FRONT HELP.
THAT'S ILLEGAL.
THERE'S A LAW THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM ASKING FOR THAT.
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM MONEY AND HAVE THEM NOT BE ABLE TO GET -- ANY MONEY BACK OR TO HELP YOU AT ALL.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO BE RUSHED INTO ANY KIND OF DECISION.
A LOT OF THESE KINDS OF COMPANIES WILL FAKE A GOVERNMENT CONNECTION, THEY'LL USE A SEAL THAT LOOKS LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OR THEY'LL SAY THAT THEY HAVE GOT A SPECIAL CONNECTION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THAT'S WHY THEY CAN NEGOTIATE THIS FOR YOU, AND THEY CAN DO IT SO QUICKLY.
DON'T BELIEVE THEM.
THAT'S NOT TRUE.
THEY VERY OFTEN FAKE THAT SEAL AND IF YOU HAVE GOT FEDERAL LOANS, YOU SHOULD JUST GO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
THEIR LOAN WEBSITE IS STUDENTAID.GOV, THAT'S A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD GO TO FIGURE OUT HELP AND HOW TO MAYBE NEGOTIATE PAYMENTS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR OPTIONS ARE.
AND YOU WANT TO BE SURE AND NOT JUST SHARE THAT YOUR FAS IF A I.D. WITH ANYBODY -- FASFA I.D. WITH ANYBODY, BECAUSE THEY'LL TRY TO GET YOU TO DO THAT AS WELL.
ANOTHER FORM OF SCAM THAT WE SEE A GOOD AMOUNT OF ARE CHARITY SCAMS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, THESE ARE SOME OF THE TIPS THAT WE TELL PEOPLE.
YOU WANT TO RESEARCH THAT CHARITY, FIND OUT HOW MUCH OF THE MONEY GOES TO THE CHARITY, LOOK UP THEIR RATING, AND THEN OF COURSE NEVER PAY BY GIFT CARD OR WIRE TRANSFER, BECAUSE WE KNOW THOSE ARE THE HALLMARKS OF SCAMS.
SO SOME OF THE PLACES THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK WOULD BE GIVE.ORG, CHARITYNAVIGATOR.ORG, AND I CAN GIVE YOU SOME OF THESE URLs AS WELL.
WE CAN PUT THEM UP A LITTLE BIT LATER.
AND TELL PEOPLE, YOU WANT TO BE SURE THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH -- THERE'S A CHARITY YOU THINK YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
SOMETIMES THEY FAKE THE LOGO, THEY MAKE A NAME THAT SOUNDS JUST LIKE THE NAME OF A LEGITIMATE CHARITY.
WE SEE THIS VERY OFTEN WITH MILITARY AND VETERANS' CHARITIES.
AND SO YOU WANT TO LOOK REALLY CAREFULLY, MAKE SURE YOUR PATRONS ARE ACTUALLY GIVING TO WHO THEY WANT TO GIVE TO, THE ACTUAL ORGANIZATION.
AND SOMETIMES WE ADVISE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THINK ABOUT YOUR CHARITABLE GIVING AHEAD OF TIME.
TRY TO PLAN IT OUT SO THAT YOU KNOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE CHARITY THAT YOU WANT TO DEAL WITH, AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE DEVELOPING A GIFT WITHIN YOUR BUDGET, AND THEN SOMETIMES WHEN DISASTERS HAPPEN, NATURAL DISASTERS, FIRES, AND HURRICANES, WE SEE SORT OF FLY BY NIGHT CHARITIES POP UP.
AND IF YOU HAVE ALREADY PLANNED OUT YOUR GIVING AND YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE POT OF MONEY THAT YOU'VE SET ASIDE FOR SUCH THINGS AS THEY COME UP, THEN YOU CAN TAKE YOUR TIME AND YOU -- YOU'RE LIMITED TO WHAT YOU CAN SPEND, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND, AND YOU CAN DO SOME RESEARCH TO MAKE SURE YOU GIVE TO THE CHARITY THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO GET TO THAT NATURAL DISASTER VICTIM.
SO WHAT DO WE DO?
WHAT DO WE DO WITH ALL THESE THINGS?
SO FIRST YOU WANT TO CONSIDER HOW YOU PAY.
THAT'S THE TOP THING TO GET THROUGH TO YOUR PATRONS.
YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO DEPOSIT A CHECK OR WIRE MONEY BACK, YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO PAY WITH A GIFT CARD, ALWAYS A SCAM.
YOU WANT THEM TO BE SKEPTICAL ANY TIME SOMEONE OFFERS THEM A FREE TRIAL OFFER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK A FREE TRIAL OFFER MEANS, THERE'S NO RISK, I CAN -- IT'S FREE, AND THAT'S THAT.
EXCEPT SOMETIMES A FREE TRIAL OFFER IN THE FINE PRINT IS BURIED THAT IT'S GOING TO KEEP COMING UNTIL YOU SAY YOU HAVE -- YOU AFFIRMATIVELY TELL THEM YOU DON'T WANT TO GET IT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP CHARGING YOU.
IT'S MUCH HARDER TO GET THAT CHARGE REMOVED FROM YOUR CREDIT CARD THAN IT IS JUST NOT TO TAKE THE FREE TRIAL OFFER TO BEGIN WITH.
AND SOME OF THEM AREN'T THE BEST DEAL FOR YOU ANYWAY.
ANOTHER HALLMARK OF SCAMS ARE PRESSURE.
YOU WANT TO RESIST THE PRESSURE TO ACT FAST.
HANG UP, DON'T TRUST THE CALLER I.D., TAKE A STEP BACK, AND TALK TO SOMEBODY.
AND I THINK THIS IS WHERE LIBRARIANS PLAY A VERY BIG ROLE, BECAUSE I THINK FOR SOME PATRONS THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THAT LIBRARY TALKING TO PEOPLE AND YOU MIGHT OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION THAT YOU KNOW IS SCAM-RELATED, AND IT MIGHT GIVE YOU THAT OPENING TO TALK TO SOMEBODY AND MAYBE PULL THEM BACK A LITTLE BIT AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THAT WILL MAKE THEM REALIZE I NEED TO THINK ABOUT THIS, THIS ISN'T PROBABLY THE BEST THING FOR ME.
SO THIS -- THESE ITEMS ARE MORE KIND OF PROACTIVE THINGS TO GET IN THE HABIT OF DOING.
MONITOR YOUR MAIL.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THEIR MAIL AS IT COMES IN, THAT THEY KNOW WHAT BILLS ARE COMING IN, WHAT THEY OWE, WHAT THEIR PAYMENT DATES ARE, BECAUSE IF SOMETHING UNUSUAL APPEARS ON A STATEMENT, IT'S GOING TO JUMP OUT AT YOU IF YOU ALREADY KNOW BASICALLY WHAT YOU'VE SPENT AND WHAT YOUR STATEMENT SHOULD SAY.
IF YOU'RE EXPECTING A BILL AND IT DOESN'T SHOW UP, THERE'S A PROBLEM, AND SOMEBODY HAS DIVERTED IT OR THERE'S POSSIBLE IDENTITY THEFT, THEN YOU'LL SPOT THAT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IF YOU GET IN THE HABIT OF MONITORING YOUR MAIL.
SIMILAR WITH YOUR ACCOUNTS.
IF YOU MONITOR YOUR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING AND OF WHAT IT SHOULD SAY, OF WHAT CHARGES ARE THERE.
IT JUST PUTS YOU IN A BETTER POSITION TO SPOT FRAUD WHEN IT COMES ALONG.
AND YOU WANT TO CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT.
SO EVERYBODY'S ENTITLED TO A FREE ANNUAL CREDIT REPORT FROM EACH OF THE THREE REPORTING AGENCIES.
AT ANNUALCREDITREPORT.COM.
I WOULD STRONGLY, STRONGLY ENCOURAGE PATRONS TO DO THAT, TO GET THAT CREDIT REPORT.
AND TO STAGGER THEM SO -- LIKE ONE IN JANUARY, ONE IN MAY, AND ONE IN OCTOBER.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
EVERY FEW MONTHS.
SO THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE IDENTICAL, IT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR CREDIT FILE FROM THAT AGENCY.
BUT THEY'LL BE VERY, VERY SIMILAR.
SO IF THERE'S A PROBLEM IN ONE, THERE'S PROBABLY A PROBLEM IN THE OTHER TWO, OR IT MIGHT BE LIKE A WARNING SIGN, IF YOU JUST WAIT AND GET IT ONCE A YEAR, YOU'LL STILL SEE THE PROBLEM, BUT YOU MIGHT SEE IT SIX MONTHS AFTER THE FACT.
WHEREAS YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO ANOTHER THING THAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW IS THAT IF THEY'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR CREDIT, OR IF THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT DATA BREACHES AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT IN THE MARKET FOR NEW CREDIT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET A CREDIT CARD, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A HOUSE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BUY A NEW CAR WITH CREDIT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT A CREDIT FREEZE ON YOUR CREDIT FILE AT THE -- THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT NOW CREDIT FREEZES ARE FREE THERE'S A NEW LAW THAT MADE THEM FREE FOR EVERYONE.
SO YOU CAN GET THEM FOR YOUR KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF 16, AND IF YOU'RE CARING FOR AN INCAPACITATED ADULT YOU CAN FREEZE THEIR CREDIT AS WELL SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT SO MUCH.
SO THAT'S A GOOD TOOL FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE.
SO I WANTED TO WALK YOU THROUGH THIS SITE VERY QUICKLY.
IDENTITY THEFT.GOV IS OUR ONE-STOP SITE TO HELP PEOPLE RECOVER FROM IDENTITY THEFT.
SO IT'S THROUGH OUR COMPLAINT SYSTEM, SO IF YOU GO TO IDENTITYTHEFT.GOV YOU CAN START THE COMPLAINT THERE, OR IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE ON FTC/COMPLAINT YOU COULD START IT THERE AS WELL, YOU'D INDICATE IT WAS AN IDENTITY THEFT COMPLAINT.
BUT YOU CAN GET SUPPORT THROUGH CHAT, IT'S FREE, A SECURE ACCESS, THERE'S VERY HIGH SECURITY AROUND THE SYSTEM.
THERE'S A SPANISH LANGUAGE SITE, AND SO ONCE YOU FILE THE COMPLAINT, YOU CAN GO TO PRINT IT OUT AND IT TURNS INTO WHAT IS CALLED AN IDENTITY THEFT REPORT.
THAT'S HOW IT PRINTS OUT.
YOU CAN TAKE THAT IDENTITY THEFT REPORT AND SEND THAT TO THE COMPANIES WHERE YOU KNOW YOUR INFORMATION WAS COME PROA MITESSED OR WHERE YOU KNOW THEFT OR FRAUD MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED.
SO, SAY YOU NOTICED ON YOUR CREDIT REPORT THERE WERE UNAUTHORIZED CHARGES ON A CREDIT CARD.
SO YOU CALL THE COMPANY AND THEY SAY, WE NEED PROOF THAT YOU'RE THE IDENTITY THEFT VICTIM AND YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT THIS FORM AND WE NEED A LETTER FROM YOU.
IDENTITYTHEFT.GOV GETS YOU THAT REPORT THAT YOU CAN SEND TO THEM WITH A COVER LETTER, YOU CAN EVEN GENERATE THAT LETTER USUALLY FROM IDENTITYTHEFT.GOV, IT HAS SAMPLE LETTERS THAT WILL AUTOMATICALLY POPULATE WITH THE INFORMATION.
AND YOU CAN SEND THAT OFF TO THE CREDIT CARD COMPANY AND GET THAT PROCESS STARTED.
SO THAT MAKES THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE EASY, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH EVERY SINGLE TIME, START FROM SQUARE ONE EVERY TIME YOU HAVE TO CONTACT A COMPANY, AND THEN IF YOU OPEN UP AN ACCOUNT ON IDENTITYTHEFT.GOV, THEN YOU CAN CONTINUOUSLY UPDATE YOUR COMPLAINT SO THAT IF YOU HAPPEN TO FIND OTHER CHARGES OR OTHER FORMS OF IDENTITY THEFT HAVE HAPPENED, YOU CAN ADD THAT IN THERE AND UPDATE YOUR IDENTITY THEFT REPORT SO THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO COMPANIES AND CONTINUING TO GET THE RECOVERY PROCESS STARTED.
SO I AM GOING TO -- I'VE GOT A FEW MORE SLIDES BUT I'M GOING TO WRAP UP HERE.
THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IF YOU SEE A DATA BREACH.
YOU'RE GOING TO IDENTITYTHEFT.GOV AND WE'VE GOT ADVICE ABOUT DATA BREACHES, WHAT YOU SHOULD DO DEPENDS ON REALLY WHAT INFORMATION WAS COMPROMISED.
SO THAT'S WELL WORTH A LOOK.
AND THEN HERE IS OUR INFORMATION TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
YOU CAN ORDER ANY MATERIALS FROM OUR BULK ORDER WEBSITE, YOU CAN GET CONSUMER UPDATES BY EMAIL AT THE SUBSCRIBE SITE, AND HERE'S OUR COMPLAINT SITE.
AND THAT'S THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
BUT I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AFTER MARTY IS DONE.
>> FANTASTIC.
WE'VE GOT A FEW COLLECTED, I MIGHT EVEN PUSH SOME THROUGH TO YOU WHILE MARTY IS PRESENTING, AND WE CAN GET SOME OF THEM ANSWERED.
BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND SHIFT ON OVER TO MARTY, YOU ARE NOW OUR PRESENTER.
WELCOME, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES AS A PRACTITIONER.
>> AND THANK YOU -- TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
I THINK THE INFORMATION THAT CAROL HAS PRESENTED IS SO VERY AWESOME, AND SO IMPORTANT FOR US AS LIBRARIANS TO BE AWARE OF AND TO BE DISSEMINATING OUT TO OUR PATRONS.
AS JENNIFER MENTIONED, MY NAME IS MARTY JOHANNES, AND I AM THE CAREERS AND PERSONAL FINANCE LIBRARIAN FOR THE JOHNSON COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.
JOHNSON COUNTY IS LOCATED IN NORTHEAST KANSAS, AND IT HAS A POPULATION OF ABOUT 575,000 PEOPLE.
IT IS LARGELY SUBURBAN, AND IT'S PART OF THE GREATER KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, EXPB KANSAS METRO AREA.
THE LIBRARY, JOON SON COUNTY LIBRARY, IS AN AGENCY OF THE COUNTY, LIBRARY GOT ITS START IN 1952 IN THE HOMES OF NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILIES, AND WE'VE GROWN THROUGH THE YEARS, AND TODAY WE SURF PATRONS AT 14 BRANCHES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SO WE JUST SKIPPED THROUGH THAT SLIDE.
I'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
THE WORK OF OUR ADULT INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH COMMITTEES WHICH ARE FACILITATED BY REFERENCE LIBRARIANS.
THESE COMMITTEES REPRESENT OUR CORE AREAS OF FOCUS, INFORMATION STAFF ARE ASSIGNED TO COMMITTEES BASED UPON THEIR PERSONAL INTEREST AND ALSO UPON THE NEEDS OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.
AND MOST OF THE COMMITTEES MEET ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO COORDINATE COMMITTEE PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND PROGRAMS.
AS THE CAREERS AND PERSONAL FINANCE LIBRARIAN, I FACILITATE A COMMITTEE OF 11 INFORMATION SPECIALISTS, WHO WORK AT BRANCHES THROUGHOUT OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM.
WE MEET ONCE A MONTH RIGHT AFTER OUR MONTHLY SYSTEMWIDE INFORMATION SERVICES MEETING, THE BROAD MISSION OF THE COMMITTEE IS TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY SUPPORTING JOB SEEKERS AND BY PROMOTING FINANCIAL LITERACY.
AND WE DO THIS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
WE STAY UP TO DATE ON CAREER AND FINANCE-RELATED RESOURCES, INCLUDING SCAM FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT RELATED RESOURCES, AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AND PATRONS.
WE ALSO MAINTAIN CAREER AND FINANCE BOARDS, AND WE COORDINATE PROGRAMS ON CAREER AND FINANCE-RELATED TOPICS.
SO EACH TRIMESTER THE INDIVIDUAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS DECIDE WHICH PROGRAMS THEY WANT TO OFFER AT THEIR BRANCHES, AND THEY COORDINATE ALL ASPECTS OF THOSE PROGRAMS, AND THIS TRIMESTER, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE OFFERING PROGRAMS ON THE FAFSA, WOMEN IN MONEY, RESUMES, JOB SEARCH TRAGEDIES, AND LINKEDIN.
FOR TEST TEST TEST PURPOSE OF THIS WEBINAR I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON THE WORK WE DO TO EMPOWER OUR PATRONS TO RECOGNIZE, AVOIDED, AND ADDRESS SCAMS, FRAUD, AND IDENTITY THEFT.
ON THE JOHNSON COUNTY LIBRARY WEBSITE, WE HAVE A RESOURCE PAGE, WHERE WE'VE COLLECTED RESOURCES ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS.
AND ONE OF THE TOPICS IS CONSUMER INFORMATION.
AND THE RESOURCES LISTED ON THIS PAGE INCLUDE A LINK TO THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU, ACCESS TO CONSUMER REPORTS, WHICH IS AVAILABLE FREE THROUGH OUR LIBRARY'S WEBSITE, AND ALSO A LINK TO THE FTC'S CONSUMER ALERTS THAT CAROL JUST MENTIONED.
ON THE JCL WEBSITE WE HAVE LIB ANSWERS, WHICH IS A SEARCHABLE DATABASE WHERE WE PROVIDE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
SEVERAL FAQS WERE CREATED AND ARE MAINTAINED BY ONE OF OUR CAREER AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ONE OF THE FAQs YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS ENTITLED "WORRIED ABOUT SCAMS?
HERE ARE SOME THINGS TO AVOIDED."
AND IT'S UPDATED ON A RECK BASIS WITH INFORMATION DRAWN FROM THE FTC CONSUMER ALERTS, THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU, THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, AND THE FINANCE INDUSTRY REGULATORY AUTHORITY, ALSO KNOWN AS FIRA.
ANOTHER PROVIDES LINKS TO THE FTC CONSUMER ALERTS, AND OTHER RESOURCES RELATED TO IDENTITY THEFT.
AT MOST LOCATIONS WE MAINTAIN CAREER AND FINANCE BOARDS, AND FOR THOSE LIBRARY LOCATIONS THAT DON'T HAVE THE WALL SPACE FOR A BOARD, WE HAVE CAREER AND FINANCE BINDERS.
AND ONE OF OUR FULL-TIME INFORMATION SPECIALISTS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DISTRIBUTING FLYERS AND HANDOUTS TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR POSTING ON THE CAREER AND FINANCE BOARDS AND DISPLAYS.
THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE CAREER AND FINANCE BOARD AT THE CENTRAL RESOURCE LIBRARY, WHICH IS OUR BIGGEST LIBRARY IN THE SYSTEM.
AND IN ADDITION TO INFORMATION ON CAREER AND FINANCE-RELATED PROGRAMS, JOB FAIRS, JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, AND JOB LISTINGS, WE ALSO INCLUDE FLYERS AND HANDOUTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE CFPB, THE FTC, AND THE FDIC.
AS WELL AS AN AMAZING LOCAL RESOURCE CALLED MONEY SMART KC.
MONEY SMART KC IS A PARTNERSHIP OF COMMUNITY BANKS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHICH WAS FORMED TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL CAPABILITY AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY WITH A FOCUS ON LOW TO MODERATE INCOME CONSUMERS.
THIS GROUP MAINTAINS A DATABASE COVERING A WIDE RANGE OF MONEY-RELATED TOPICS, FROM FINANCIAL COACHING, AND EMPLOYMENT TO LEGAL SERVICES AND TAX PREPARATION.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EXCELLENT FRAUD AND SCAM-RELATED PUBLICATIONS THAT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO LIBRARY PATRONS AS HANDOUTS.
CAROL HAS JUST TOLD US ABOUT THE ONES THAT ARE PUBLISHED BY THE FTC.
ONE BEING IDENTITY THEFT, WHAT TO KNOW, WHAT TO DO.
EXAMPLES OF PUBLICATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU ARE PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY, WHAT OLDER ADULTS SHOULD KNOW, HOW TO SPOT FRAUDS AND SCAMS, AND MONEY SMART FOR OLDER ADULTS, A RESOURCE GUIDE THAT IS PUBLISHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FDIC.
THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE ALSO HAS HANDOUTS ABOUT FIGHTING MAIL FRAUD.
FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS, WE'VE -- JCL HAS PARTNERED WITH A NONPROFIT CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICE TO PRESENT THE WOMEN AND MONEY PROGRAM.
IN GENERAL, WOMEN EARNED LESS, SAVE LESS, AND LIVE LONGER THAN MEN.
SO TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION, HOUSING AND CREDIT COUNSELING INC. DEVELOPED THE WOMEN AND MONEY PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO EMPOWER WOMEN TO BECOME MORE FINANCIALLY LITERATE AND CONFIDENT.
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH HCCI, WHICH IS BASED OUT OF TOPEKA, KANSAS, OUR STATE CAPITAL, BEGAN ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN THEY REACHED OUT TO JOHNSON COUNTY LIBRARY.
HCCI HAD ALREADY ESTABLISHED A PARTNERSHIP WITH TOPEKA, KANSAS, LIBRARY SYSTEM, AND THEY WANTED TO EXPAND THE WOMEN AND MONEY PROGRAM INTO THE JOHNSON COUNTY AREA.
FOR THE FIRST FOUR YEARS OF THE PARTNERSHIP, WE OFFER THE PROGRAM AS A SERIES OF EVENING CLASSES, AND THEN FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE PRESENTED THE PROGRAM AS A SATURDAY EVENT ENTITLED "WOMEN AND MONEY DAY."
AND THE CAREER AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HELPED TO STAFF THE DAY.
TOPICS FOR THE SESSIONS INCLUDE BUDGETING, MANAGING CREDIT AND DEBT, INVESTING, AND ESTATE PLANNING.
THE FOCUS IS ON EDUCATION.
ALL SESSIONS ARE PRESENTED BY STAFF FROM EITHER GOVERNMENT OR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
AREA BANKS AND CREDIT UNIONS CAN SERVE AS SPONSORS BY PROVIDING FUNDING AND PROMOTIONAL TCHOTCHKES, BUT THEY DO NOT PRESENT ANY OF THE SESSIONS.
WOMEN AND MONEY DAY KICKS OFF WITH A KEYNOTE SPEAKER, THIS YEAR THE SPEAKER WAS HELAINE OLEN, THE OFFER OF "POUND FOOLISH, EXPOSING THE DARK SIDE OF THE PERSONAL FINANCE INDUSTRY" AND SHE'S THE COAUTHOR OF "THE INDEX CARD -- WHY PERSONAL FINANCE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE COMPLICATED."
AFTER HER TALK THERE WAS A Q AND A, AND THEN A BOOK SIGNING.
COPIES OF HER BOOK "THE INDEX CARD" WERE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN OUR FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOKSTORE AND WE ALSO GAVE AWAY 12 COPIES OF HER BOOK AS DOOR PRIZES.
AND THEN IN THE AFTERNOON OF WOMEN AND MONEY DAY, BREAKOUT SESSIONS ARE OFFERED.
AND AS I MENTIONED, ALL SESSIONS ARE PRESENTED BY STAFF FROM GOVERNMENT OR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
WE WANT THE CONTENT TO BE STRICTLY EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIVE WITH NO BIASES OR PRODUCT OR SERVICE PROMOTIONS.
WE DON'T ALLOW PRESENTATIONS BY REPRESENTATIVES OF FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THIS IS TRUE NOT ONLY OF OUR WOMEN AND MONEY DAY PROGRAMS, BUT FOR ANY OF OUR FINANCE-RELATED PROGRAMS.
AND FRAUD AND SCAM-RELATED INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN MANY OF THE SESSIONS.
THIS YEAR HCCI STAFF PRESENTED SESSIONS ON BUDGETING APPS, THE PROS AND CONS OF RENTING VERSUS OWNING, AND CREDIT SCORES AND CREDIT REPORTS.
A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE KANSAS INSURANCE DEPARTMENT TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF AUTO AND HOME INSURANCE.
A KANSAS SECURITIES COMMISSIONER, STAFF PERSON SPOKE ABOUT INVESTING, RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS, CHOOSING A FINANCIAL PLANNER, AND HOW TO RECOGNIZE INVESTMENT FRAUDS.
A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE KANSAS BANK COMMISSIONER TALKED ABOUT BANKING FRAUD AND THEN AN ELDER LAW ATTORNEY FROM THE KANSAS LEGAL SERVICES, WHICH IS THE LEGAL AID SERVICE FOR OUR STATE, PRESENTED ON WILLS AND END OF LIFE PLANNING.
JENNIFER, DID YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE ON?
BEFORE WE ASK QUESTIONS?
>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
I'VE GOT A FEW READY FOR YOU, BUT GO AHEAD.
>> WONDERFUL.
ACTUALLY THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE.
THIS YEAR THE COUNTY, JOHNSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT COORDINATED A FRAUD AND SCAMS TARGETING THE ELDERLY PROGRAM THAT WAS HELD AT THE JOHNSON COUNTY LIBRARY.
AND PROMOTED BY THE LIBRARY ON OUR CAREER AND FINANCE BOARDS.
THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAM WAS TO RAISE AND SPREAD AWARENESS OF FRAUD AND SCAMS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THOSE TARGETING THE SENIOR POPULATION.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT -- THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY WHO ORGANIZED THE PROGRAM KICKED OFF THE EVENT BY STATING THAT ELDER FINANCIAL ABUSE HAS BEEN CALLED THE CRIME OF THE 21st CENTURY.
AND THE NATIONAL AMERICAN SECURITY ADMINISTRATORS ASSOCIATION ESTIMATES THAT EACH YEAR, 37 BILLION DOLLARS IS STOLEN FROM SENIORS BY UNKNOWN BAD ACTORS, BUT ALSO BY FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, AND OTHERS IN A POSITION OF TRUST.
SO FOR THIS PROGRAM, REPRESENTATIVES OF AREA BANKS SPOKE ON VARIOUS TYPES OF SCAMS.
SWEEPSTAKES SCAMS, CONTRACTOR AND HOME IMPROVEMENT SCAMS, INTERNET SCAMS, PHONE SCAMS, AND THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT AND BANK FRAUD, AND THEN AN ELDER LAW ATTORNEY FROM THE STATE LEGAL AID SERVICE PRESENTED ON WILLS AND POWERS OF ATTORNEY, AND HOW TO ADDRESS ELDER ABUSE, AND AN FBI AGENT PRESENTED ON HOW TO IDENTIFY FRAUD AND SCAMS, AND AN ATTORNEY FROM THE LOCAL U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TALKED ABOUT THE ELDER JUSTICE INITIATIVE, WHICH IS AIMED AT COMBATING ELDER ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND FINANCIAL FRAUD, AND SCAMS THAT TARGET SENIORS, AND ALSO PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR FRAUD-RELATED ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN A U.S. POSTAL INSPECTOR FROM THE POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE, WHICH IS THE CRIMINAL ARM OF THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, PRESENTED INFORMATION ON MAIL FRAUD AND SCAMS, AND HOW THEY ADDRESS THEM.
A NUMBER OF HANDOUTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR ATTENDEES TO TAKE, AND THEY WERE ENCOURAGED TO SHARE THE INFORMATION AND HANDOUTS WITH NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, AND COWORKERS.
WE HOPE TO MAKE THIS AN ANNUAL EVENT.
AND TO GROW IT AS WE GO ALONG.
IN LIGHT OF A RECENT FTC CONSUMER ALERT, POINTING OUT THAT PEOPLE OF ALL AGES ARE VULNERABLE TO BEING SCAMMED OR DEFRAUDED, THERE IS DISCUSSION IN THE PLANNING COMMITTEE ABOUT EXPANDING THE FOCUS OF THE NEXT PROGRAM TO INCLUDE EVERYONE, NOT JUST THE SENIOR POPULATION.
SO LIBRARIES ARE -- AS A TRUSTED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION CAN PLAY A BIG ROLE IN RAISING AWARENESS OF SCAMS AND FRAUD.
AND I HOPE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES THAT YOU CAN USE TO HELP YOUR PATRONS RECOGNIZE, AVOIDED, AND ADDRESS SCAMS, FRAUD, AND IDENTITY THEFT.
>> FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARTY.
THERE'S SO MUCH GREAT INFO FROM BOTH OF YOU.
THERE WERE A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS WE CAN GET TO, BUT IF FOLKS HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS THEY WANT TO POST INTO CHAT, WE CAN ALWAYS CIRCLE BACK WITH THE PRESENTERS AND ADD THOSE RESPONSES TO THE EVENT PAGE.
AND REMEMBER THAT I WILL SEND YOU AN EMAIL ONCE THE RECORDING IS POSTED TODAY.
CAROL, THERE WAS A GREAT QUESTION -- SORRY, MARTY, THERE WAS A GREAT QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOUR PATRONS REQUESTED FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMS, OR DID YOUR STAFF BRAINSTORM, MAYBE AS A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE AND DECIDE TO APPROACH IT THAT WAY.
>> THERE'S DEFINITELY A DEMAND FOR THAT TYPE OF PROGRAMMING.
AND ONE WAY THAT WE SEE THAT IS WHEN WE OFFER PROGRAMS, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE THE FAFSA PROGRAM, WE HAD ALMOST 200 PEOPLE ATTEND THREE DAYS OF FAFSA PROGRAMS.
THE FAFSA DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 1st, SO THIS TIME OF YEAR IS THE TIME WHERE PEOPLE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE FAFSA.
AND SO WE PARTNERED WITH A LOCAL ORGANIZATION AND HAD THEM PRESENT A PROGRAM CALLED STEP BY STEP THROUGH THE FAFSA, AND PEOPLE FILLED THE MEETING ROOMS TO HEAR THE INFORMATION.
THAT'S ONE WAY WE CAN GAUGE DEMAND.
>> RIGHT.
WELL, AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE LEARNER GUIDE THAT MARTY AND CAROL HELPED US CREATE HAVE A NUMBER OF IDEAS, ONE IS JUST MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION, MAYBE ON YOUR WEBSITE, OR MAYBE IN YOUR 300 SECTION, OR MAYBE YOU DO WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE TO REACH OUT AND PARTNER WITH OTHERS.
BUT DEFINITELY CHECK OUT THE GUIDE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO BOTH OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR GREAT WORK, CAROL, THANK YOU TO THE FTC FOR PROVIDING ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP, AND I'LL MENTION AGAIN THAT I WILL SEND YOU ALL A CERTIFICATE JUST FOR BEING HERE TODAY, YOU DON'T NEED TO ASK FOR IT.
WE WILL SEND YOU A CERTIFICATE WITHIN A WEEK FOR ATTENDING.
I'LL ALSO ASK THAT AS YOU LEAVE THE ROOM HERE, WE'LL SEND YOU TO A SHORT SURVEY, WE LOVE TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON OUR SESSIONS, WE PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO OUR PRESENTERS FOR THEIR LEARNING AS WELL AS TO HELP GUIDE US IN OUR ONGOING PROGRAM CAN.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, THANK YOU TO OUR CAPTIONER, AND FOR TECH SUPPORT, AND ESPECIALLY THANK YOU TO MARTY AND CAROL.
EVERYONE, HAVE A FANTASTIC REST OF YOUR WEEK, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK IN LIBRARIES SUPPORTING FINANCIAL LITERACY.
>> THANK YOU, JENNIFER.