SAFEGUARD YOUR PENSION FROM FRAUD

As there are several scam strategies circulating in the field of finance, protecting your hard earned cash is always a priority. However, many do not realize that pension funds are among the common swindling cases, especially since it mainly victimizes the elderly, who usually need more assistance especially in a modernized era defined by technological advances. In some incidents, even the younger generation can fall into this trap.

The best move for this is to identify the kinds of fraud you might encounter, and familiarize the measures you can do to prevent this from happening. Even better, you can start on a separate plan so as not to be heavily reliant on the pension alone just in case a conflict occurs. Moreover, since a third of Americans are subject to this, it is highly necessary that it is shielded from any form of abuse. Here are the types of scams you should be aware of:

Employer deception

Your employer have several access to cheat you in terms of your pension. They can refuse to fund it, mismanage it, or give you less than what you are entitled to receive. Aside from this, there are situations wherein a business starts to decline and ‘borrow’ from their staff’s funds in order to compensate for the company’s expenses. Another important thing to known is financing pensions using a firm’s stock is considered as illegal.

Nursing homes swindle

A usual target for this are those residents with mental illness or lack the skill of wise financial management. Fraudulence often occurs when checks are directly mailed or deposited into a trust fund that pays the institution’s bills because it gives employees with negative intentions greater access to simply steal the money. I would be wiser to give a trusted friend or family member an authorization over the resident’s cash so the staff will know someone is monitoring their finances or just deposit the payment in his own bank account.

Professional cheating

There are a handful of advisors, lawyers, and insurance workers whom you might mistake for someone trying to help you out but in reality are steering you towards the wrong decisions for their own benefit. Some may charge you for ‘fees’ which are not supposed to exist in the first place since these kinds of aids are free through accredited organizations.

Employee dishonesty

Sometimes, workers themselves commit these scams with the aim of getting more benefit or sum of money. They may submit falsified documents of themselves or the beneficiaries, fake an accident or illness while getting another job during the course of their leave. Whenever these individuals violate the rules by claiming something they are not entitled to, every participant is affected because as a result, they will be getting will not be getting the amount they deserve.

If you happen to suspect cases similar to these, you may report it to the office of inspector general, the employee benefits administration, or your local attorney to be addressed immediately. Asking help from lawyers is also another option if you feel like your present job is at risk.