skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Idahoans to Get Tips on Avoiding Fraud at 'Scam Jams'

play audio
Play

Friday, May 11, 2018   

POCATELLO, Idaho – How can Idahoans avoid scams? They can find out at two free events from the Idaho Scam Jam Alliance next week.

The alliance is inviting folks to Pocatello on Monday and Idaho Falls on Tuesday for tips on protecting their good credit and their identities.

Dennis Rockwood is a volunteer with AARP Idaho and specializes in preventing fraud. He says anyone, no matter their age, can become a victim. Scams over the phone are common and Rockwood has a few easy steps for avoiding them.

"I have a very short way of explaining how they can protect themselves,” says Rockwood. “It comes down to hang up, do not engage, and verify."

Idaho residents reported more than 1,300 cases of identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission just last year. The Pocatello Scam Jam starts at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Clarion Inn. The Tuesday Idaho Falls event also starts at 9:30 a.m. at the Shilo Inn.

Representatives from the FTC, state Attorney General's office, Better Business Bureau, and AARP Idaho will be at these events.

Rockwood says seniors face the greatest risk of being scammed. They're often retired and more likely to be at home when scammers call. They've built up the most wealth, and research shows they have a strong trust in authority figures.

Rockwood says thieves could take advantage of this last point as the government begins mailing out new Medicare cards. He describes a likely scenario – scammers pretending to be from the government will ask people to verify their Social Security number so they can be sent a new card.

"Coming from Medicare, an organization that has authority – and it does – will really get the attention of the senior, says Rockwood. “And they're more likely to give their Social Security number – which, in fact, Medicare doesn't have the resources, the time or the energy to do all that."

Folks can check out the AARP Fraud Watch Network online for more tips on how to avoid scams.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
A report from the Tennessee HealthCare Campaign recommended the federal government needs to strengthen 340B drug pricing and other federal negotiation mechanisms to make needed medicines more readily available and less expensive for hospitals to purchase and administer. (Spotmatikphoto/AdobeStock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …


Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…


Nearly 13 million Americans receive health coverage through unique plans under both Medicare and Medicaid. They are known as Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021