Act quickly if you think you’ve been a victim of fraud

Working the KHQ “Help Desk” is always entertaining. We get to talk to appreciative, curious and even downright crazy people, while at the same time getting our smiling faces on TV.

That’s where part of the BBB staff was last Monday evening, giving advice about protecting your identity by shredding personal information. Ironically, at the same time we were at KHQ, the story about veterans’ Social Security numbers being stolen was being broadcast on the evening news.

What began as a segment about shredding became a sounding board to veterans concerned about the theft of personal data kept by the Veterans Administration.

Vets have a right to be asking questions — one of which is, why did it take 19 days for the public to hear about this theft? If this were a private company that had such a breakdown in security, what would the government be doing about it? They would be all over such a company, lending credence to the belief that there’s something hollow about agencies that hold others to a higher standard than themselves.

If you think you could be a victim of this or any other loss of data, the BBB recommends you contact one of the three credit reporting agencies and put a “fraud alert” on your file. You only need to contact one of the three companies to place an alert. The company you call is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report, too:

“ Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241.

■ Experian: 1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013

■ TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

Maybe the VA will step up and make sure this precautionary measure happens for everyone affected in this case.

There are a couple of other issues lighting up the BBB phones these days, one being the never-ending sweepstakes call. In answer to such questions: No, we seriously doubt you won the Canadian, Spanish, Norwegian, German, Australian or Mars Lottery. If a caller wants something from you in order for you to collect your “winnings,” don’t give it to them. And ask yourself, did you even enter a foreign lottery?

The most popular sweepstakes offer lately is the Las Vegas Actionable Award Program, or LVAAP. First comes a mailing saying you can receive a report on a portion of over $3 million you are entitled to, and for this you simply need to send them $20. What you get for the $20 is a list of potential sweepstakes you can enter, if you choose to do so. Oh, yeah, and your info is then sold or shared with a slew of additional similar junk-mail senders. The company has an unsatisfactory record with the Las Vegas BBB as does a related company in Florida.

The other popular topics we are hearing a lot about have to do with cars.

Kar-Brite, a carwash service, and in some cases, a gasoline retailer, has closed all of its Spokane-area stores. As a result, folks are calling us in great numbers because they purchased car washes in advance, or discount cards that are now worthless. We are working with Kar-Brite’s attorney, so be sure to send us a written complaint on this outfit. Once we sort out the facts, we will let those who have filed complaints know what the next steps are.

Also, we’re getting calls on used cars that are being sold “as is” in Washington, Idaho and Montana.

When you buy a used car, you sign a lot of “as is” paperwork, but that doesn’t stop buyers from contacting the BBB after a used car purchase because they’re not happy with the “as is” condition of the car.

In most of the cases we hear about, the buyer never took the car to their own mechanic for a check-up prior to purchase.

Unfortunately, we can’t help with this kind of complaint. Read what you sign and have any used car checked by a mechanic you know and trust before you make the deal. If any repairs are needed, use that factor as you negotiate the price, and then get all verbal repair agreements in writing in the contract before you sign.