This Active Life: Best Years Guide

Finance: Scamming Seniors

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That should be the mantra of every older American. Seniors are a favorite target of con artists, and many have lost hundreds, even thousands, of dollars to a wide variety of schemes.

Too often, we’ve heard of trusting retirees who have lost their life savings to a scam. The trouble is, the con artist is often hiding behind a business suit, telephone line, or computer terminal.

How can you avoid getting scammed? Knowledge is key. Here are some of the top scams used to bilk seniors of their money.

Free vacation scam. If you’ve gotten a call, letter, or postcard announcing a free, five-day vacation in sunny Bermuda or Hawaii, don’t fall for it. There’s a catch, and a scam. You may be required to pay a travel club membership of $200. Most clients never receive anything or end up in substandard accommodations. By the time you call to complain, the con artist has moved on.

Charity fraud scheme. Throughout the year, but most of all during the holiday season, you probably get appeals by telephone or mail urging you to contribute to a worthy cause. You can check out www.give.org, a Web site for the Better Business Bureau and the National Charities Infor-mation Bureau, for warnings.

Investment schemes. If you’ve gotten calls or E-mails with offers to get rich quick, don’t fall for it. The only people getting rich are the ones behind the scams.

Remember, let the buyer or investor beware.

You’re getting ready for bed and the phone rings. Thinking this is an emergency, you answer the phone––only to find a telemarketer or worse, a pre-recorded message. Sound familiar? Fortunately for you, the Federal Communications Commission is taking aim at abusive telemarketers. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is designed to help consumers avoid unwanted solicitations. Tell the solicitor to place you on the company’s "do not call" list. The company must keep you on the list for two years. Telemarketers are also barred from calling homes before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m., so report the telemarketer immediately. You might want to let the telemarketer know that consumers can sue the telemarketer in state court if they violate such provisions––that may stop the calls immediately. To be removed from telemarketing lists, mail your request to Telephone Preference Service, P.O. Box 9014, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014. Or go to www.the-dma.org/consumers.

If you’re tired of all the junk mail, you may request the Direct Marketing Association, a trade group of telephone and mail marketers, to remove your name from national contact lists. Your name will remain on the do-not-mail list for five years. After that, you may re-register. Mail your requests for removal to Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008.

To submit a complaint about unsolicited commercial E-mail (also called "junk E-mail" or "spam"), E-mail the Federal Trade Commission at uce@ftc.gov. You can also notify your internet service provider.

One favorite scam of con artists is collecting funds for a bogus charity organization and seniors are particularly vulnerable. Before you send your donation, make sure the charity is legitimate. Contact the National Charities Information Bureau, 19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003, or go to www.give.org.

How can you avoid getting scammed? Here are some Web sites you can check out:

Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau site offers news alerts, consumer advice, and contacts for reporting businesses.

FirstGov for Seniors
This site offers you the latest news and information on a variety of topics and a special section on consumer protection. Check out this site for the latest in con schemes. You can even file a complaint on this site.

Identity Theft
This is the place to go if you think someone has stolen your Social Security number or ID.

Travel:
Coupons Take Flight

It really pays to be a senior, especially when it comes to flying. For frequent and even infrequent travelers, most airlines offer senior coupon books. Carriers that don’t offer coupon books often offer senior discounts on most fares or membership in senior clubs.

"If you’re a frequent flier like me, an airline coupon book can make a big difference," says NEA-Retired Vice-President Jack Kinnaman. "I’m surprised when I hear of someone who’s paid full fare for a flight. It’s time all seniors knew about these coupon books."

Typically, airline coupon booklets consist of four or eight coupons. Each coupon is good for a one-way trip within the lower 48 states, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean. If you plan to fly to Hawaii or Alaska, however, most airlines will require two coupons for a one-way trip. A four-coupon book from Continental Airlines sells for $579 while a coupon book from Northwestern or Delta costs $676. An eight-coupon book sells for about $1,000. America West, for example, offers an additional perk. If you’re traveling with one or two grandchildren, you can use your coupons for their flight as well.

What’s so good about the coupon books? The coupons can be used for instant travel on a standby basis and there is no minimum-stay requirement or Saturday-night layover requirement. If you don’t want to take a chance on stand-by, you must make your reservation 14 days in advance.

However, there are a few things to remember. Keep in mind that in this age of fare wars, the coupon may not always offer you the best fare. Make sure you avoid the airline blackout dates. And always check with your travel agent or the airline Web site for promotional fares or restrictions.

It’s also wise to select an airline that has the most convenient routes and schedules to your favorite destinations. Even though your coupon covers connections, you’ll save yourself a lot of problems. Make sure you carry your identification at all times and don’t forget to check on all of your fare options. A little research will go a long way.

Looking for additional ways to save money on your trips? Here are some Web sites that will make your trip enjoyable and affordable:

Independent Traveler
This site offers listings of senior discounts, travel club plans, and more.

Educators Bed and Breakfast
Educators are often the best tour guides and contacts for your vacation and in this case, the best hosts. Check out this site before you travel. You’ll find a cozy home, villa, or seaside apartment.

Golden Age Passport
The Golden Age Passport offers seniors a lifetime pass for national parks, monuments, historic battle sites, and recreation areas run by the federal government, all for $10. The pass gives you a 50 percent discount to the areas.

Tis the season for planting in your garden, especially if you want beautiful and healthy spring blooms.

Ask gardening experts and they’ll agree that fall is prime time for planning and planting. Why?

For one thing, fall brings more reliable rainfall than summer. Temperatures are cooler, so the soil doesn’t dry out as quickly. Also, new additions to your garden are more likely to make it to full flower if planted in the fall because they haven’t had to withstand the summer heat and because pest population tends to decline in the fall, say experts from the American Nursery and Landscape Association.

What should you plant? Spring-flowering bulbs, especially if you love tulips, lilies, daffodils, and crocuses. In areas where winters are mild, tulips should be planted later than other bulbs, when the temperature has cooled to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you’re a peony fan, experts say fall is the very best time to plant these beautiful bloomers.

It’s also the time to plant most trees and shrubs. Many nurseries and garden centers offer good sales on bulbs, trees, and shrubs in the fall. Make sure the roots of the sale plants you’ve selected are healthy and your soil is well prepared.

Then, all you have to do is pull on your gloves and start planting.

Fall is not only the best time to plant trees and shrubs, it’s the best time to reseed cool-season lawns in many parts of the country. First aerate, then sow the seed. Water regularly to maintain even moisture. Two weeks after planting, add your fertilizer. If the seed takes, you’ll have a nice healthy lawn by spring and will be the envy of your neighborhood. If it doesn’t take, don’t be discouraged––and make sure you’ve chosen a seed that is hardy in your planting region. If you’re using chemical fertilizers, always make sure animals and children steer clear of your planting area.

For a gardening vacation, try a trip to the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, a favorite California tourist site because of its vast stretches of flowering plants and shrubs. The farm, located in Southern California near Interstate 5, features more than 50 acres of rolling hillside. In spring, the hills are ablaze with 200 million yellow, pink, orange, red, and white ranunculus flowers. The ranch also features a 3,000 square-foot All America Rose Selection garden, containing each of the AARS winners since 1940 and featuring new rose varieties. Admission to the ranch ranges from $3 to $7. For more information and directions, call 760/431-0352 or visit the farm’s Web site at www.theflowerfields.com.

Don’t forget your almanac when you plan your spring garden. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is on the Web and you’ll find articles, weather reports, and lunar calendars. You’ll also be able to reate a personal calendar. Go to www.almanac.com.

If you have a gardening question, North Haven Gardens Nursery will be ready with answers. Go to the NHG Web site at www.nhg.com.

Need help planning or planting your garden? Try these sites:

American Horticultural Society
One of the nation’s oldest gardening organizations, AHS has created a site to answer your questions. There’s even a section featuring master gardeners.

Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center
This center is the press office of the Dutch bulb industry and a treasure trove of planting tips, historical information, and guides for purchasing tulips, lilies, and the like.

HG TV
HG TV offers a wide range of gardening tips and projects to complement its gardening programs.