KGVY Radio, Monday, November 26, 2007

Green Valley Sheriff’s Auxiliary Volunteers

Bill Roskey

This past week a Green Valley resident reported some important documents missing from her wallet. Someone had taken her driver’s license, Social Security card, and health insurance cards, and oddly enough, left the cash. Actually, it was really not so odd, because the documents that had been taken are far more valuable to an identity thief than cash. A skilled identity thief can take that identification and illegally use it to obtain thousands of dollars. SAV advises that Green Valley residents remember that in this day and age, drivers’ licenses, Social Security numbers, and similar documents and personal information should be safeguarded as if they were large sums of money because they can easily be turned into large amounts of money by criminals.

This past week another Green Valley resident reported yet another case of credit card fraud to SAV. Nearly $1,500 of unauthorized charges appeared on one of his credit cards and the card issuer told him to file a police report about the incident. This kind of activity appears to be increasing not only in Green Valley, but across the country. Please carefully check your credit card statements as soon as you receive them and immediately report any unauthorized charges to your card issuer. In addition, it’s more important than ever to safeguard not only your actual credit cards, but your credit card numbers as well.

Green Valley residents continue to be targets of scams. Another Green Valley resident recently reported to SAV that he was told he had won half a million dollars. In order to claim the prize, however, he was told that he must first pay $2,900. While he immediately saw through what was so obviously a con game, people should remember that some of the other scams we’ve seen in Green Valley are much more sophisticated than this one and not so easy to recognize for what they are. Many con men concoct much more imaginative and convincing schemes. Beware of anyone who wants to you to send him money, even if he first sends you what seem to be valid negotiable instruments like Traveler’s Checks or Cashier’s checks.