HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: You often write about scams, which have saved many people from making a mistake with their savings and other financial info. Now that the holidays are here, many people get especially OPINION lonely and can fall prey to con artists who take advantage of these people. It’s a time of year when romance scams increase, HELOISE but there are some things to look out for and ways to avoid being taken advantage of by a scammer.

■ If the photo online looks too glamorous, it might not be the person you’re talking to. Try this: If you have Chrome, right click on their picture and it should offer the option to search Google for this image. You can also copy their image into Google Images to see if their picture is being used elsewhere.

■ Watch out for people who say they work or live in a foreign country. Scammers love to use pictures of people in military uniform.

■ Do not send them money under any circumstances. No exceptions.

■ Do not share financial information with them. If you own your own home or have investments, it’s none of their business. Don’t share this information.

■ Scammers love to use emotional manipulation to get money from people. They’re stuck in a foreign country, wrongfully jailed, etc., or want to come and see you but something always comes up.

■ Do a video chat with them. Most scammers avoid video chats because they’ve been lying to you all along.

■ Trust your intuition. Sometimes your gut level feelings are an indicator that something is wrong.

■ If you’ve had a problem with a scammer who stole your money or identity, contact the Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov). You can also pick up more information on scams and fraud at www.aarp.org/ money/scams-fraud.

— Courtney H., Boston DEAR HELOISE: About two years ago I lost my sweet dog named Sammy. He was such a good pet, and I had him with me from the time he was born until his final day. That was 16 years of love and devotion from a very dear pet.

My hurt seemed to consume me until a friend of mine told me to volunteer at a local animal shelter. What a difference it’s made in my life. I highly recommend volunteering at a shelter for anyone who has lost a pet. You’ll make such a difference in the lives of lost or abandoned cats and dogs.

— Anne in Maine