Perception is Reality

RIDING FOR ARTHRITIS

Wisconsin Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star will be “on the road again” from Friday, September 28th to Sunday September 30th. The Worthy Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, Sister Laurie Twardy, will be riding on the back of Don Jensen’s Ultra Classic Harley motorcycle and cruising the scenic highways and byways of our beautiful state of Wisconsin on this 830 mile 3 day journey.

They will visit 14 cities throughout the state to collect funds for arthritis research. This joint project is to support the Arthritis Research Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Arthritis Foundation of Wisconsin. It is their goal to educate the public to Learn More and Do More about this inflammatory condition that touches the lives of so many. “An estimated 43 million people in the United States have arthritis or other rheumatic conditions … the leading cause of disability among adults age 65 and older.”

Everyone can participate in this event to show their support. A donation is requested for your participation and for meals provided at each stop. The riders will leave at 8:00 a.m. from 7515 W National Avenue, West Allis. The 1st day of their journey hey will stop in Kenosha, Janesville, Middleton, Reedsburg, Tomah, and Lacrosse. The second day of their ride they will visit Ellsworth, Chippewa Falls, Owen, and Shawano. ON THE last day of their journey they will visit Green Bay, Appleton, Fond du Lac, Brookfield, and West Allis Wisconsin.

For more information on this “On the Road Again” event and the ways you can be involved, contact Sister Tammie Otterstein at otters2@charter.net or 608-592-5629 or Don Jensen, 414-483-5353.

Donations can be sent to WGM/WGP ARTHRITIS FUNDRAISER, C/O OES, 36275 Sunset Drive, Dousman, WI 53118-9349.

Each year hundreds of people become victims of a scam. They unknowingly become a victim because of their lack of knowledge about such scams. Last year consumers in Wisconsin lost more than $188,000 to advanced fee loan scams. I will attempt to explain some of the top scams and a basic tip on how to avoid becoming a victim of these scams.

ADVANCED FEE LOAN SCAM - A company guaranteed a consumer loan but required the person asking for the loan to first wire a collateral payment to Canada. Requiring an upfront payment is a red flag to a scam.

TIP TO AVOID THIS SCAM: You should never pay in advance to secure a loan. If you need a quick loan, check with your bank or credit union. All of the victims of these types of scams applied for their loans online.

CHECK SCAMS - Check scams are camouflaged a number of different ways. However, they all have one thing in common: the scam artists send you a cashier’s check, ask you to deposit it into your bank account and wire the money out of the country. The check deposited is a counterfeit check and you become the victim personally liable for the amount of the check deposited into your account.

Some of the common scams are employment opportunities, secret of mystery shopping jobs, online auctions, and fake class action lawsuits.

TIP TO AVOID THE SCAM: DO NOT accept checks from unknown persons. If you receive a cashier’s check, submit it to your bank “for collection”. Even though the check looks real and the bank initially accents it could be bogus. Or, just throw the check away and forget about it.

FOREIGN LOTTERY SCAMS - The lottery scam is another version of the Check Scam. Her too you receive a check in the mail for asking you to deposit it in your account. Unfortunately the check is counterfeit and the victim is left owing the bank for the amount deposited.

TIP TO AVOID THE SCAM: It is illegal in the US to play foreign lotteries. So if any companies claim to be legitimate for such activity . . . they are not. Throw the winner letter in the trash and do not respond.

IDENTITY THEFT - ID thieves may use the following means to secure your identity: rummage through your trash, pretending to need to know information to claim a prize, stealing your mail, placing bogus newspaper ads for jobs and sending unsolicited e-mails posing as your financial institution. The last is known as spoofing, vishing, or phising.

TIP TO AVOID THE SCAM: Check you credit report annually. This will ensure you that there have been no unauthorized transactions on your report. Shred any information that has your personal details. Never respond to unsolicited e-mail or phone calls requesting personal information.

Check your credit reports with:

EQUIFAX – www.equifax.com or 1-800-525-6285

TRANSUNION – www.transunion.com or 1-800-680-7289

EXPERIAN – www.experian.com or 1-800-397-3742

The information for this article was found on the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau website, www.wisconsin.bbb.org

In the Milwaukee metro area you can direct inquires and complaints to 414-847-6000. For toll free information from elsewhere call 1-800-273-1002.