Safe Banking for Seniors workshop Tuesday at senior center

Havre Daily News staff

The Safe Banking for Seniors workshop to help senior citizens become more aware of banking scams will be 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday at North Central Senior Center, 2 Second St., in the back conference room. Everyone is welcome to attend and pre-registration is not needed.

A press release from the senior center outlined some points that will be covered in the workshop, including:

• Scammers can spoof caller ID and change the name that appears on an incoming call. You can’t trust a call just because it shows up as “IRS.” You need to verify the contact by calling the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040.

• Social Security Administration will never require payment via a gift card, cash, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or prepaid debit card, so don’t be afraid to hang up on the caller asking for this.

• Scammers generally beg for money, ask you to keep the transaction a secret, and urge you to act quickly. Don’t be afraid to ask questions because the more questions you ask, the more inclined they will be to ditch the scam if they suspect you are on to them.

• Tech Companies, like Microsoft, Google or Apple will never ask you to call a phone number. Be suspicious if you see a pop-up on your computer warning you to call a phone number. Scammers use this tactic to steal your money or identity.

• Fraudsters can send you an official looking check — that is fake — with your lottery winnings or other payment, then ask for a check from you. Never pay money out or give information to receive winnings. Verify the check with your bank.