Recent increase in Internet scams
Over the past few weeks, I've been solicited through emails to engage in risky email activity. There was the not surprising notice that I won a British lottery, …
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Over the past few weeks, I've been solicited through emails to engage in risky email activity. There was the not surprising notice that I won a British lottery, which I had not entered, for £185,000 and all that I needed to do was . . . You get the idea. This was "run-of-the-mill" stuff.
But some of the others were more sophisticated and, therefore, more dangerous. For instance, a bogus notice from Wells Fargo notified me that I had to share account and Social Security numbers with them to protect my account. The fraud unit at Wells Fargo was grateful for the information I supplied to them.
Then, there was the notice from "Chris Smith," a family researcher who was doing a "standard process investigation" and wanted some information from me.
And the note from "Anna Niggeler": My computer security system warned me about this one and I quickly got rid of it.
Although I do not mean to imply that anyone from the Social Security Administration is at fault in any way, it is worth noting that these four solicitations came after my recent application for Social Security benefits. So, if you're on email, as always be careful; and if you've recently applied for any benefits that are age related – and might make a predator think you are particularly vulnerable – be particularly careful.
Dennis Brookshire
Erdenheim
I would like to thank you for the wonderful article that Sue Ann Ryback wrote after covering my recent talk on legacy planning before the Chestnut Hill Rotary Club.
This past weekend I attended an Ancestry.com event in partnership with the Pennsylvania Historical Society at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It was heartening to see more than 1,500 attendees clamoring for information about their family tree.
I encouraged all of them and your readers to take the important step of capturing their living history to preserve it for future generations. It is the most important work I have done on myself and I know it will continue to give to our family for generations to come.
Again, thank you for bringing the issue of legacy planning into the light.
Barbara Sherf
Flourtown, PA
