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Hands Off My $$!Preventing & Reporting

Financial Abuse

Presented by Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy

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Introductions

Please go around and introduce yourself• My name is…• My favorite thing to

spend $$ on is…

OCRA DollarsYou will get OCRA Dollarsfor participating in thispresentation. Whoever has the most will win aprize!

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Who wants to take your $$?

You owe $$ to…

• Your landlord

• For Your bills

• For your clothes

Who else could you owe $$ to??

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WHO ELSE DO YOU NOT OWE $$ TO?

• A telephone salesperson

• Anyone like an ILS worker or care provider

• Your friends or relatives

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Why is it your money?

Where do you get your $$ from?• Jobs

• SSI

• SSA

• Loans (Banks)

• Advances on Credit Cards

Where else?

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The Personal Loan – Don’t Do It!

The following is a role-playing skit. We need someone

to play the:• Customer• ILS worker• Counter Person

You’re at Burger King to eat, and your ILS worker asks

you for some $$ to pay for his dinner. Do you have a

choice to loan the $$ or not?

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The Personal Loan (continued)

• How did the skit work?

• What did the customer say?

• What would you do differently?

Get into groups of 3. Decide who is who.

Now you act it out – you have 10 minutes.

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Loan Agreement

You almost never loan money to anyone. But if you do, use this handout and fill in allthe blanks.

Terms to know:• Lender: the person who gives the money.

• Borrower: the person who gets the money.

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LOAN

Date: _________________________________________

I am loaning___________________________________________

(Name of Borrower)

$____________________________ (Amount of Money Loaned)

________________________________________________________

(Name of Lender)

Always make a copy and keep for your record.

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LOAN REPAYMENT –

Borrower agrees to pay meback:__________________________________________

Example:• On June 5, 2005• $5.00 every time he receives his check• When he gets back from visiting his family

Borrower’s Name:_______________________________

Borrower’s Address:_____________________________

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Record of Payments Received

DATE AMOUNT RECEIVED

$______

_______________ $______

_______________ $______

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What if someone does not want to pay you back?

Call your Service Coordinator or

OCRA.

They will help you or tell you how to

collect the $$.

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IDENTITY THEFT – YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

ANYONE CAN TRY AND STEAL YOUR

PERSONAL INFORMATION SUCH AS

YOUR:• Identification Card or Driver’s License• Social Security Number• ATM Pin #

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HOW CAN PEOPLE STEAL YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Your information can be stolen by:

• They can stand behind you in the ATM line and watch you type your personal PIN #.

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• Someone can steal your personal passport, credit card, or drivers license.

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• Your checks can be stolen if you don’t have a safe mailbox.

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• If you buy something on the Internet, your credit card information will be displayed.

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• They can try and sell you something over the phone and then steal your credit card number.

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• They can keep a carbon copy of your credit card information when you buy something.

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Identity Theft – Beware!

The following is a role-playing skit. We need someone to play the following parts:

• Consumer• Identity Thief

You’re at the ATM machine when someone

approaches you and tries to get your code.

What do you do?

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Identity Theft

• What worked well in the skit?

• What else could the consumer have said?

• What would you do differently?

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Your Credit Record is Important!

Always keep a copy of the front and back

of your credit card, in a safe place.

You can get a copy of your credit report.

It is free every 6 months!

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WHAT IF SOMEONE STEALS MY PERSONAL INFORMATION?

If someone steals your ATM, credit card or check:

Tell someone you trust.

• Call the number on the back of the credit card and on the front of your checks and report the theft to the police.

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How to Stop Someone from Usingyour Credit Card if it is Stolen!

If someone steals yourchecks, ATM or credit card:

Tell someone you trust and, • Call the credit bureaus: Equifax 1-800-685-1111 Experian 1-888-397-3742 TransUnion 1-800-888-4213

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WHAT ARE CREDIT BUREAUS?

• The 3 major credit bureaus keep track of everyone’s credit in the United States. (and elsewhere)

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What are Telemarketers? – Don’t buy it!

The following is a role-playing skit. We need someone to play the following parts:

• Customer• Telemarketer (Someone who sells something

over the telephone)

You’re at home when a telemarketer calls trying

to sell you the newspaper and you don’t want

the newspaper. What do you say?

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Telemarketers (continued)

• What worked well? • What else could the customer have said?• What would you do differently?

Find your partner again. You know the

routine...

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IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BUY SOMETHING, DON’T!

These are some ways that people get

trapped into buying something when they

really don’t want it:• Mail Order Catalogs in the mail• Internet pop-ups that want to sell you

something.• Store Catalogs

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Do Not Call Lists

Never provide personal information to anyone over the phone!• Get on the National Do Not Call list by

calling: 1-888-382-1222 or 1-866-290-4236• If you keep getting calls after 3 months,

file a complaint (Same numbers as above)

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Debt Collection

Sometimes we spend more $$ than we should

And cannot pay our debts. Here are your

rights:

If you owe $$, you cannot go to jail for a debt.• If you receive SSI, it cannot be collected to pay

off a debt• However, non-payment will affect your credit

record. You may not be able to borrow more $$ for years.

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If you get SSI

Call your Service Coordinator or your

CRA to find out what you can do if you

cannot pay your bill.

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Important Points

Remember…

• Don’t loan your money

• Be careful with personal information

• Report fraud

• Don’t buy things over the phone

• Don’t spend more than you have

• Know your rights

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WHO CAN YOU CONTACT FOR HELP?

• Your service coordinator• Your support personGive other examples…

And of course…You can always contact yourOffice of Clients’ Rights Advocacy(OCRA)

OCRALos Angeles Office Toll Free 1-866-833-6712

Sacramento OfficeToll Free 1-800-390-7032

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NOW COUNT YOUR FAKE MONEY!

Whoever has the most fake money,

wins the grand prize! Good luck

everyone!