Brigade arms Garden City seniors with cyber security tips

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Senior citizens are known for respecting authority and being trusting. It usually works in their favor except when it comes to identity theft.

Zana Macki, a four-year presenter from the Michigan Attorney General’s Senior Brigade, spoke to a small group about the topic at the Garden City Public Library Tuesday. The Brigade has been in existence since 2009.

“These scammers are targeting seniors,” Macki said. “Seniors only make up 13 percent of the population but one third of consumer fraud is committed against seniors. The scammers know what buttons to push.”

Scammers can be articulate and seniors often welcome a friendly voice at the end of the telephone line when they call.

“Technology can be friend or foe,” she said.

Although Macki mentioned the recent security breaches at Target and Neiman Marcus, she said that her talk wasn’t designed to address those two companies specifically because it is still under investigation. Identity theft occurs because thieves have the right personal information.

“They may take your charge cards, clone them and empty out your account,” she said. “They may try to open up new accounts.”

Become aware

Macki said that consumers need to become aware. She, too, was a victim of identity theft 10 years ago.

“You feel violated,” Macki said.

Filing a police report to develop a paper trail and shutting down that account is essential. She advises consumers to copy the fronts and backs of credit cards and put it in a safe place, as well as retain bank account numbers, and contact credit reporting agencies regularly.

“Don’t ever give your Social Security number out,” Macki said. “That’s a gateway for these thieves to steal your identity. Beware of someone who says they are from the bank asking for that number.”

She also asked the audience: “What’s in your wallet? Aren’t we an open book for thieves?”

She advised shredding documents with a cross shredder which does a better job.

“Don’t put everything in one bag, either,” she said. “They are piece-mealing somehow.”

Macki also told residents to not give out their Zip Code numbers or phone numbers to cashiers at stores because that information might be sold for marketing purposes.