Local residents beware: Scammers and spoofers may be trying to ruin you financially.
That’s the takeaway message to be delivered in a presentation beginning at 10:15 AM. on Thursday, February 7,  at The Andover Community Hub, 157 Main Street in Andover Village. Sponsored by The Hub, the talk by Meghan Noone and Debbie Gray is open to the public at no charge.
Noone and Gray, financial coaches at the New Hampshire Federal Credit Union’s Center for Finance & Education, put the problem – and the solution – this way:  “Scammers are becoming more and more sophisticated every day, putting you at substantial risk. We all need to learn the warning signs of fraud, the latest scams that are out there, and how to protect ourselves.”
What exactly is scamming? Put simply, it’s the art of convincing you to part with your money or to reveal valuable personal information that may put your identity and your savings  at risk. The information sought may include your social security number, banking passwords, medical records and credit history.
The New York Times has a different term for it: spoofing.  “ These days, fewer frauds start with a knock on the front door or even someone’s home computer.  Instead, there are signs that thieves are relying more on the telephone to entice people to part with cash or vital private information.  The rise, experts say, is being driven partly by the success of spoofing, or using nearby area codes and local prefixes to trick people into thinking a call is from someone in their neighborhood.”
The Times continues, “Older people are prime targets, according to the Consumer Sentinel Network, where fraud and identity theft complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission are compiled.  Consumers between the ages of 50 and 70 filed the most reports to the FTC last year.”
The Credit Union website states that three to five million seniors fall victim to financial abuse costing over $36 billion each year.  One of every nine seniors experiences financial exploitation but only 1 in 44 report it.
Types of scams listed by the Scamwatch website include attempts to gain your personal information, buying and selling schemes, dating and romance ploys, fake charities, fictional investment opportunities, jobs and employment, threats and extortion, unexpected money and unexpected contest winnings.
The February 7 presentation, which will include takeaway material, will last about an hour and a half, with ample time following for questions and answers. Light refreshments will be available.
The New Hampshire Federal Credit Union serves the employees, immediate family and household members of more than 150 employer groups throughout the state, including the State of N.H., many cities, towns, hospitals, organizations and more.