Scam victim wonders what to do
I was recently a victim of fraud. It involved a job offer that turned out to be fake and a check that turned out to be bad. My question to you is: Should I report this to the police or someone else?
Don’t feel too foolish. According to a study from Javelin Strategy & Research, 15.4 million Americans were victims of fraud in 2016 alone. Contact the Federal Trade Commission to report the incident at 877-FTCHELP. Though I’m sure you’ve learned your lesson, I still have to say: Never accept checks from strangers, as there are a multitude of bad-check scams out there, and don’t wire money to anyone you don’t know. Even if a request for funds appears to come from someone you know, reach out over the phone or in person to be sure it’s not an impersonator who has hacked the account. Sign up for alerts on new scams and how to avoid them at http://www.ftc.gov/scams.
Dear Feeling Foolish:
I have been pondering the letter from “Drained,” who was tired of an acquaintance’s charging his vehicle at “Drained’s” house.
I feel that the letter from “Drained” was inappropriate and that your advice — to ask the person with the electric vehicle for reimbursement for electricity — only added insult to injury.
Dear Annie: Dear Annie: — Feeling Foolish
A number of years ago, I came down with peripheral neuropathy, for which there is no cure. What this basically means is that I have nerve damage in my feet. I do not let this get me down and do everything I can to keep my life as normal as possible. I have to ride a scooter everywhere I go, including around the house.
If I am out and have to charge my scooter at someone’s home, I will do it without question. It takes an hour to charge, and the electricity needed costs the home about 30 cents. If I don’t charge my scooter, then my battery dies on my way home, and I have to find someone close who can push me to my destination or crawl on my hands and knees, pushing my scooter until I hit my destination or find a place where I can charge it. I have not run into anyone who minds giving me 30 cents’ worth of electricity when needed.
I hope you never get to a point in your life that you need a scooter to be part of your life. It is not fun, but you do what you can to keep your life as normal as you can.
I’m printing your letter as a caveat to my initial response to the letter from “Drained” (about an electric vehicle, which requires much more electricity and is less essential). In cases where someone needs to charge his or her mobility scooter, offering your outlet is the right thing to do, with no quibbling over kilowatts.
Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.
Dear Greg: — Greg