PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY AND KICK SCAMMERS TO THE CURB 5 Ways to Deal With Annoying Robocalls
According to the latest data, scammers and telemarketers make 1,528 robocalls to Americans every single second. No wonder they’re driving us all crazy! Some of these calls are legitimate reminders about doctor’s appointments and payment plans, but around 55% of them are just nuisances — and we can’t rely on the government to stop them. If you’re sick of hearing about “your car’s extended warranty” or the “student loans” you paid off 40 years ago, try these five tips to cut down on robocalls and outwit scammers. 1. EXPLORE YOUR CARRIER’S FREE TOOLS. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon all offer services to cut down on scam calls. Some of them are free and/or come with your phone, but others you have to pay for or activate. If you have Verizon, for example, you can download the “Verizon Call Filter” app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Visit your carrier’s website or call them to learn about the tools they offer. 2. DOWNLOAD AN AD BLOCKER. For extra protection, you can download a separate ad blocker from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Hiya is a free app that will give you caller ID and block spam calls, and Nomorobo is an award-winning option that’s free for landlines and costs $1.99 per month for cellphones. In my most recent book, “Hidden Wealth: The Secret to Getting Top Dollar for Your Business,” I have a chapter on the Dismal D’s. During our lives, we all have significant, impactful events, which I call the Dismal D’s. For those who do not know what the Dismal D’s are, they THE DISMAL D’S CAN HAPPEN TO ALL OF US
3. WHEN IN DOUBT, LET IT RING OUT. If you don’t recognize the number calling, don’t
answer. You can always call back if they leave a legitimate voicemail.
4. SUSPECT SPAM? HANG UP. So, you accidentally answered a spam call. Whether it’s a person or a robot on the line, hang up immediately! Even saying your name or the word “yes” could set you up for identity theft. 5. HANDLE VOICEMAILS WITH CARE. If you get a suspicious voicemail, never call the number or visit the website given by the caller. Instead, Google the company or agency they claimed to be with and call that number. If the real agency has no idea about the call, you’ve just escaped a trap. By taking all five of these steps, you can protect yourself and your wallet from Ponzi schemes, identity thieves, and annoying telemarketers. For even more specific advice, visit AARP.com and search “The Definitive Guide to Reducing Robocalls.” DISMAL D NO. 2: DISSENTION AMONG PARTNERS (WHO HAPPEN TO BE SIBLINGS) This one is more common than you might think. The founders have passed away, and the siblings took over the business, but not all of the siblings work in the business. Yet they want the income from the business and tell the family members who are working in the business how they think the business should be run. It is always a recipe for disaster. If the parents were still alive, they would probably fire all of the kids and sell the business and split up the money. My job is to value the business and try to appease all the siblings and get the business sold before they all end up mad at each other.
are as follows: Death, Disease, Divorce, Disaster, Distraction, Debt, Delusion, Disinterest, Declining Sales, Dissention among partners, and Dumb. Significant life-impacting events are part of life’s journey, and none of us has any control over them. We never know when they are going to happen, but they will happen sooner or later.
DISMAL D NO. 3: DISINTEREST Contrary to what people may think, disinterest (also known as “burnout”) is the most common reason a business owner will sell their business. It is not about the money, because most of the time they are making very good money. But having worked on their business for many years and experienced the same situations owner/operators face on a daily basis (such as theft, employee issues, legal issues and
Here are four Dismal D’s I am working with now.
most recently the COVID-19 issue), I get the call that they are burned out on the business, the employees, and everything associated with the business. Generally, they will sell the business, then take a year off and go into a totally different business and start over fresh. DISMAL D NO. 4: DEBT The business owner has a few really good stores, some okay stores, and then some stores that just don’t make any money; there is a lot of
DISMAL D NO. 1: DEATH A very good family business is running well, turning a nice profit, and then the patriarch happens to pass away. This is never a good thing, even if the family knows it is coming. It is always disrupting to the business and family, and sometimes, neither recovers from the loss of a loved one, especially one who was in charge of the business. My job is to assess the situation and advise the family on whether they should sell the business, and if so, I guide them through the process of selling the business.
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