March 9 was National Slam the Day.

National Slam the Scam Day raises awareness about thieves’ attempts to
steal money from people. A few tips can keep people from falling victim
to fraud. Comments from Carmel Perez Snyder, director for community
outreach and local advocacy, AARP Oregon.

“They just do it in a multitude of ways, either to steal information so they can steal a person’s identity or to steal money.”

Snyder says there are a few ways to know if a person is dealing
with a scammer. One red flag is if the fraudster asks you to pay for
something with a gift card. Snyder notes that thieves love gift cards
because they are untraceable.

Snyder says if the person on the other end is offering a
deal that sounds too good to be true, hit pause on that interaction.

“Really engage your inner skeptic when a communication produces a strong emotional response from you.”

When people claim to be from a particular organization like the
IRS, Snyder advises people to do their own research to find out if
they’re legitimate, such as calling the official phone number for the
IRS or by visiting their website. AARP is holding a Scam Jam on
April 25 in Portland.