19 Comments

Thanks for the reminders! BTW, I happen to be stuck in Nigeria at the moment, kind of an embarrassing story, but if you could cable me $10,000, I'll pay it back when I return to Baltimore....

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May 27, 2023Liked by Don Akchin

Thanks for the reminders and tips; sometimes we have to hear the same warnings multiple times before it sinks in. I'm very concerned about AI's application, esp'ly the way a specific human voice can be accurately reproduced for false dialogue. The grandparent scam is particularly vulnerable to this technology (e.g., "But it sure sounded like our Danny!")

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May 27, 2023Liked by Don Akchin

The funniest and dumbest one I got was just a few weeks ago. A male with a thick foreign accent called my work phone from an area code in Canada. He said he was calling to discuss better Medicare plans. I thought fast enough to remind him that open enrollment had passed. I then queried him as to why a representative from a US government agency would call from Canada. He hung up.

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May 28, 2023Liked by Don Akchin

Dear Don,

This is a very useful article. You know, the Wall Street Journal has for years republished some famous editorials, maybe because they were timely and timeless, and this article certainly qualifies as one people can benefit from re-reading.

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May 27, 2023Liked by Don Akchin

Rules of thumb: 1) If they call you, you're not interested. 2) Never, ever click on a link if you didn't initiate the conversation with someone you already knew. 3) It's only your lucky day if you ignore your internet windfall. You're doing a public service here. Far too few have had any sort of financial literacy training. It should be a mandatory high school class, maybe younger.

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Such an important reminder!! I worry about older adults who aren't as informed and aware. It needs to be said over and over again.

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founding

Aside from my very first experience on the internet, in 1995, when I clicked on the button that said CLICK HERE!, I've done pretty well. However, recently, I almost fell into what was a new trap to me: a very official email from the USPS saying my package was about to be returned to sender. I started to fill out the form, and then decided to check the URL: it ended in .ru. I then did a trick that an old IT pal taught me, which is to enter the phone number into Google. Needless to say, no USPS.

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UGH! I get calls daily from those who want to pay be $26,000 per employee during the pandemic from multiple lines- it's not a loan- it's a gift and it's been waiting for me. I can't block fast enough plus it doesn't work anyway. I never answer my phone and barely read my emails unless it's from the Endgame. But it is easy to be duped. I don't even respond to texts or messaging from "friends" or wrong numbers...oops, right.... and NEVER share a code to someone from social media who can't get into their account. Thats another one... evil people.

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You deserve a break, young man. Recommendations: morning nap or two, ditto in p.m., books galore that make you even more sagacious and wiser, and good food, just sayin'. . . .

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