Postal Inspectors believe all members of society should be community sentinels; by that, we mean everyone should spread the word about fraud-proofing our homes and safeguarding our neighborhoods.
It can be upsetting to learn that those we know and care about are sending money because they believe they’ve won a prize or are supporting a charity that turns out to be fake. When this occurs, we need lots of patience and understanding to help sort out the situation.
First, contact banks and credit card issuers to request that a fraud alert be placed in the account holder’s file. Next, call any one of the three credit reporting agencies and ask for the same thing. A more permanent solution is to simply place a “freeze” on the account holder’s credit report.
Finally, ensure that bank and credit card statements are carefully monitored by a trusted third person in the future. This person should be able to view the account holder’s transactions, but not access funds in the account.
