Boor said that a good tip is to photocopy all the items in your wallet periodically so that if it is stolen, you will have the appropriate numbers to call.
When it comes to door-to-door selling, seniors should be careful because scam artists often target older residents, Burnham said. Boor added that any door-to-door marketer in Howard County must be licensed and show either a yellow or blue card from the county.
Even if the business is licensed, consumers should hesitate to do business with anyone knocking on their doors.
"The best way if you need something is to seek out someone to do it," Boor said. "I see too many people get ripped off by home-improvement contractors."
Claudia Butler, 63, a Columbia resident, attended the program with Lloyd and another friend, Margo Jones, 63, of Laurel. Butler, who said she often shops at the mall, added that this was the first such program she has attended.
"The topic of shopping and the credit card instead of cash really piqued my interest," Butler said. "It's good information. We look forward to going to some of these [other programs]."
The next safety event for seniors, which will focus on fraud, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way.
resources
To obtain a free copy of your credit report every year: annualcreditreport.com
National Do Not Call Registry: 888.382.1222
Remove your name from catalog mailing lists: catalogchoice.org
Reduce junk mail/telemarketing calls: dma.org
Opt out of pre-screened credit/insurance offers: 888.567.8688
Source: Howard County Office of Consumer Affairs
