Don’t Become a Victim[i]
The
news is frequently reporting stories of older persons being victimized. Aging
includes the risk as being seen of easy targets. When I road my bike downtown
to get my watch fixed, my wife reminded me that there have been many cases of
people having things stolen from them in broad daylight. So I took my bike
inside the building with me. And it’s not just about losing your bike. This
chapter of Don’t Sweat tells us that there is no reason that we become
victimized. “If you follow a
certain protocol, not only will you avoid being duped, but you may also be able
to turn the table on would-be thieves.”
Demand
offers in writing. Sales people often come to the door or
contact us by phone. “If the offer is legit, a sales representative will have
not problem producing a written version of it.” Then we don’t have to rush to make a decision. And depending
on the amount of money involved you might just want your attorney to take a
look at it and you’ll have a record of what they want to sell you. If no
written material, forget it.
Treat
your home as a castle. Don’t let them in until you feel you can trust them. Have them produce some kind of
identification like a company badge with a name and phone number. Tell them to
wait outside while you call the verify their information. “This is prudent, not
rude.”
Contact
proper Authorities If
you have questions call the appropriate authorities. If there is a problem it’s better to have them now than
later, after you have been victimized.
“If it turns out that you helped uncover some sort of crime, you’ll have
done a tremendous service for yourself and fellow retirees.”
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