MoneyWisdom Blog

Identity theft is something we all have to take precautions against. Approximately 1 in 15 Americans experience some type of identity theft each year.* The most vulnerable of us are the elderly who may not have the knowledge of how to protect against identity theft in an ever-increasing electronic world.

Scams targeting older adults are on the rise. It's a nearly $40 billion industry, and as thieves conjure up new schemes and technology grows at light-speed, the number of scams is likely to increase exponentially. In the face of such growth, how can you protect yourself or older family members from becoming victims to crooks?

If you're the parent of a child who's involved in extracurricular activities, you know the participation costs can really add up. Classes, lessons, uniforms, equipment, competitions, tournaments...the list goes on. It's easy to join the 46% of parents who spend more than $1,000 annually on one (just one!) extracurricular activity, according to a recent survey by CompareCards.

You usually go to the store with one thing in mind — shopping. But lately it seems like more retailers are turning their checkstands into fundraising campaign headquarters, asking you for a donation to a cause in addition to taking your payment for groceries, coffee, or leggings. Would you like to add $2 to your purchase to help homeless cats? Round up to the nearest dollar to fight hunger? Buy some sort of paper icon to show your support for a cure or research? All worthy causes, of course, but it can be overwhelming when every retail transaction seems to involve a solicitation, especially when you're on a tight budget.

Most animal lovers — a whopping 95% of pet owners according to a recent Harris Poll — consider their pets part of the family.

And they dread losing that pet, so much so that pet sympathy cards and even companion animal funeral homes have become big business.

But what happens when the pet outlives its human owners? 

You're checking your email and notice that Apple has sent you a receipt for almost $1,000 worth of iTune purchases and downloads. Except there's a problem: you haven't downloaded anything from Apple. In fact, you don't even have an Apple ID that would allow you to download from iTunes. Surely it's just a mistake so you call the number on the receipt, and the Apple support person tells you the only way he'll be able to issue you a credit is if you go out and buy ten $100 iTunes cards at your local grocery store and call them later with the card's code numbers...

By its very definition, volunteering does not provide a paycheck. But offering your free time for a good cause can offer some significant financial benefits.

Members who create a new password for use with Online Access HD to check account balances or pay bills will soon notice a change. On Wednesday, May 29, Hanscom FCU is changing the requirements for creating a password. This is part of our continuing effort to strengthen online security for our members.  

Wouldn’t you like to know immediately if someone if trying to tap into your home equity line? You can when you set alerts through Online Access HD on your Hanscom FCU accounts. The alerts will appear by email, text, or phone to let you know, and in seconds, you'll be aware if someone is attempting to guess your login ID or if an invalid password has been submitted.