Author Archives: Crystal Baldwin

About Crystal Baldwin

Crystal manages the publication and distribution of the CAP Connection blog.

Travel Tips

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If it’s time for you to escape on a getaway, keep in mind that scammers love to target those with travel plans. Vacations should be relaxing. Don’t let unexpected scams and travel pitfalls stress you out! There are countless ways one can be scammed while planning travel. With all the R & R you have scheduled, don’t get bogged down worrying about scams. This mindset is what scammers rely on to bilk you of your money.

Before travel:

  • Ask details about what is included in prices and look for hidden fees
  • If booking online, verify that you are using a credible website and double-check that you are on the correct site, rather than a copycat
  • Always do your own research before accepting the word of the person engaged in selling

While on your trip:

  • If you are notified about unauthorized credit card charges, contact your credit card issuer directly by calling the number on the back of your card. You might not be checking your statement history, but your credit card company generally understands your purchasing trends and may have fraud protection in place to alert you if they suspect an issue.
  • If you are renting a vehicle, know the ins and outs of your own auto insurance coverage. The rental agency will typically offer to sell you their insurance, so be prepared for this when you step up to the reservation desk. Protect yourself further from rental accident damage fraud by photographing the vehicle with on-site identifiers in the background (this is handy if you don’t have a date feature on your camera) both at the time of the initial rental and upon return. That way, if there is a damage dispute, you have photo proof of how the vehicle appeared while in your possession.
  • Free Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi that is not password protected could be problematic. Don’t sign into your accounts while using free or unsecure Wi-Fi. Why? You don’t know who is watching your online activity. Keying your password into an account may seem harmless, but scammers tracing your steps can log into your account later and access everything. Sure, it’s nice to have free Wi-Fi, but use it to check the news or browse tourist attractions, not to do your online banking.
  • While in a foreign country, you may be asked if you would like the total to be displayed in US dollars. If you say yes, the exchange rate may not be based on the actual currency rate, but based on the rate in the retailer’s system. The retailer receives any amount you pay over the actual exchange rate and you could be charged a conversion fee as well. Credit cards convert the foreign exchange rate based on the actual currency exchange rate, which is more accurate and doesn’t favor either party. Credit cards may also charge a conversion fee, so check the card’s terms before you travel.

While traveling, you don’t have to stress every minute about the possibilities of what might happen, but it will help to keep the above scenarios in mind so that you don’t find yourself in a stressful situation.

Contributing Writer & Photo Credit: Crystal Baldwin

Match or Mooch? Preventing Romance Scams

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Too often, Vermonters reveal to us that a scammer lied to them about being in a long-distance relationship. These scams can be heartbreaking. They are not uncovered until the love interest asks for money—or once money gets sent. Sent money can’t be retrieved, making the betrayal more painful.

Vermonters lose tens of thousands of dollars each year to romance scams. This scam continues to affect more people than other wire transfer scams. So, what’s going on?

Most romance scams initiate through dating websites and apps, like Match, Zoosk, Senior People Meet, OK Cupid, and Meet Me. Connecting online and through apps makes it easy for scammers to hide their identity. You could be chatting daily with a person who describes themself as “tall, dark, and good-looking”—but is not. Scammers succeed because online dating gives the option of communicating without ever meeting in person, or talking on the phone.

Not all online dating is bad. In fact, Consumer Reports found in a survey that 44% of respondents said online dating led to a serious long-term relationship or marriage. With such high odds in finding “the one,” how can you continue to use online dating and stay safe when looking for love?

We’ve created a table to help you determine if you’re being contacted by a MATCH or a MOOCH.

In 2016, a law was passed that requires internet dating services to notify Vermont members of noticeable changes in their account, such as when their account is hacked and being used maliciously by a romance scammer. Internet dating services must also alert Vermont members who had previously corresponded with a newly banned member, letting them know they may have been contacted by a romance scammer. So this Valentine’s Day, protect yourself from romance scams and find a match, not a mooch.

Contributing Writer: Crystal Baldwin

Stay Safe Online

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October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month and next Tuesday is National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day. Now is a good time to check-in on your computer use and internet safety. To the average computer user, the tasks required to be secure can be overwhelming. But, StaySafeOnline.org allows you to find all the information you need in one place.

You can search StaySafeOnline.org by area of interest. Learn how to:

With the site’s easy to follow tips and resources, your computer and internet experience can be safer. Having trouble with the above list?  Get started with the below tips:

Passwords – Make sure they are secure.  A combination of numbers, letters, and symbols is best.  Use a unique password for every account.

Antivirus Protection – Don’t use a machine (computer, mobile phone, etc.) that does not have virus protection.

Unsecured Wireless Networks – Use them cautiously.  Tapping into a free hotspot may be tempting when traveling, but depending on who is watching (and you never know who is), you could be putting your information at risk.  Never login to your personal accounts when using free wireless.  If you do, you might be giving all your information to a scammer.

Securing Your Internet – This task is simple.  If you have an online account with your internet provider, login to change the router’s name and the pre-set password.  Having trouble doing it on your own?  Just call the company for help.

Scams – For most, using the internet is virtually free.  So, many scams start online.  The Computer Tech Support scam can start with a pop-up message that claims your computer is at risk for viruses, advising of a phone number to call to rectify the issue.  Email scams often conform to a phishing scam, claiming to be a financial institution that says you need to reset your password.  Other forms of email scams include attachments or links that, when downloaded, infect your computer with viruses. Click here to sign up for our office’s scam alerts.

Failing to take precautions regarding computer and internet safety is like keeping your front door wide open to a neighborhood thief. Don’t do it.  Be smart about your computer use.  Take precautions to combat scammers before they target you.

Do you own a small business and have concerns about data security? Join us at Tech Jam on October 20th for information – details and registration can be found here.

Contributing Writer:  Crystal Baldwin

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Congratulations, You’re A Winner!

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Have you received a letter, email, or even a Facebook message telling you that you have won a sweepstakes or lottery prize, such as thousands of dollars and a car? Have you been asked to send money to cover taxes or registration fees so that you can receive your prize? If so, you are being targeted by a common scam – no real sweepstakes prize would ask you to pay taxes or fees.

Sweepstakes Scam example

Scammers may pretend to be legitimate businesses such as Publisher’s Clearing House or Reader’s Digest, or may use a similar sounding name. You may even receive a check in the mail that looks legitimate. The scammers claim they have sent you some of your prize so you can use the money to cover the cost of fees or taxes. Do not deposit the check – it is fake! Scammers hope that you will send them real money from your account before the bank realizes that the check has bounced.

You may be instructed to not tell anyone about “winning” to protect your prize. This is an attempt to isolate you so your friends and family can’t warn you about the scam. Don’t take the scammer’s advice – call CAP at 1-800-649-2424 and we can help you determine if you are being scammed.

Remember: if you won a real sweepstakes prize, you would never need to pay a fee to claim your winnings. Never send money to get money!

Contributing Writer:  Annalee Beaulieu
Content Editor:  Crystal Baldwin

Buying and Selling on Online Listing Sites

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Most Vermonters love a good deal.  So, we know how appealing it can be to search for discounted products through online listing sites.  And, when the deal of the century is finally located, we know how easy it is to want to act quickly, rather than question if the deal is too good to be true. But sometimes the most important thing you can do is stop and verify an online offer before you pay.

At CAP, we typically hear about the times people get scammed online, rather than the times they found a great deal.  Vermonters report scams to our office so we can assist them if there is a way to recoup their money and so that other consumers are made aware that there are scammers lurking online, looking to take your money without earning it.  A couple of weeks ago, we heard from a gentleman hoping to close a deal on purchasing an excavator.  He fulfilled his end of the deal by wiring more than $16,000.  After receiving the funds, the scammer went dark.  This Vermonter was lured into the scam through a blatant lie; from a Craigslist post, he was connected to a realistic-looking eBay site to fulfill his order.  The site however, was not eBay.  The money that was wired was gone within a few moments.

Last year (2016) 122 Vermont consumers reported online listing scams to our office. And, fourteen people reported monetary loss due to wire transferring funds in response to an online listing. The year before (2015) nineteen people reported loss by wire transfer.

Listing scams take on many forms.  Sometimes the scammer responds to a seller post, overpays with a check, and asks for the remainder to be wired back.  Sometimes the post is for a fictitious rental property and the scammer is looking for the deposit and first month’s rent to be sent.  Sometimes the item being sold is a used car, riding lawnmower, or construction equipment.

Scams even happen when you are looking for that perfect puppy or pet to expand your family, but the transport of the animal is held up at the airport or elsewhere.  People have reported trying to buy wedding dresses, only to be bilked of their wedding budget due to scam activity.  The point here is, listing scams can happen with any kind of product or service when you least expect it.  The key to prevention is knowing the signs, taking an extra moment to verify an online offer before you pay, and if you are the victim of a scam report it to our office.

The Attorney General will continue to alert Vermonters about new and ongoing scams.  In the meantime, here are some helpful tips to help you avoid online scams:

Tips to prevent Online Listing scams

Contributing Writer:  Crystal Baldwin