Carmel, CA Elder Abuse Alert

An old couple sitting on the bed in opposite directions

The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, tracks a wide array of scams which target seniors in affluent areas of the country including Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  A typical approach is to call you and say they are from a government agency and say that you owe taxes or a fine.  They will typically ask you for a gift card, which is untraceable.  Don’t fall for this, a government agency would never ask for a gift card.  In my opinion, the best way to avoid most of these fraudulent schemes is to use caller ID and if you do not recognize the number don’t pick up the phone.  Scammers are getting more sophisticated so even if it is from an 831 area code this number may have been “spoofed” and the caller can be from anywhere.  For more information, visit the website www.ftc.gov/giftcards

Pacific Grove, CA Elder Abuse Alert

The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, tracks a wide array of scams which target seniors in affluent areas of the country including Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  A typical approach is to call you and say they are from a government agency and say that you owe taxes or a fine.  They will typically ask you for a gift card, which is untraceable.  Don’t fall for this, a government agency would never ask for a gift card.  In my opinion, the best way to avoid most of these fraudulent schemes is to use caller ID and if you do not recognize the number don’t pick up the phone.  Scammers are getting more sophisticated so even if it is from an 831 area code this number may have been “spoofed” and the caller can be from anywhere.  For more information, visit the website www.ftc.gov/giftcards

Pebble Beach, CA Elder Abuse Alert

A woman in Floral dress sitting in the chair and smiling

The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, tracks a wide array of scams which target seniors in affluent areas of the country including Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  A typical approach is to call you and say they are from a government agency and say that you owe taxes or a fine.  They will typically ask you for a gift card, which is untraceable.  Don’t fall for this, a government agency would never ask for a gift card.  In my opinion, the best way to avoid most of these fraudulent schemes is to use caller ID and if you do not recognize the number don’t pick up the phone.  Scammers are getting more sophisticated so even if it is from an 831 area code this number may have been “spoofed” and the caller can be from anywhere.  For more information, visit the website www.ftc.gov/giftcards

Great News For Those With Hearing Loss

Great news for those with hearing aid problems

There is good news for those suffering from hearing loss—you can now buy a hearing aid without having a doctor’s examination or a prescription, thanks to a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule.  It allows for the retail sale of hearing aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.  A report by the Federal Government estimated that 28.8 million people could benefit from a hearing aid, but currently only 1 out of 5 people who need one get it.

FTC Says Companies Using Sophisticating Technology To Invade Privacy

A lady doctor caressing the old man and smiling

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report recently about how companies deploy “dark patterns” in advertising for enticing potential customers, manipulating them into buying their products while at the same time giving up their privacy.  The report came following a 2018 lawsuit against Lending Club Corp. which eventually agreed to pay out nearly $10 million to 61,990 consumers who were charged hidden fees while the company advertised that there were hidden fees.  In fact, Lending Club was slicing money right off the top as the loan was being funded.  The FTC outlined three principles companies must follow or risk being sued by the FTC:

Disclose clearly and accurately the material terms of the sale contract such as costs, deadlines to cancel, frequency of charges, and disclosure of essential information;

Obtain the customer’s informed consent before the payment is made; and

Provide an easy and simple cancellation process.