Category: “thoughts”

The Durham Regional Police are telling seniors to be very careful regarding phone calls that sound too good to be true. 

An Elderly lady (91 years) was recently scammed out of $100’s of dollars by a telephone scam. 

It is very difficult for some of our seniors to believe or even imagine that people can do such things over the telephone. They trust that what they are being told is correct and above-board, and even if it sounds odd, they probably don’t like to ask too many questions.. 

The following advice is good for all of us to remember, but especially important for those who are more vulnerable.  If you have elderly folk in your life pass the advice on… 

• Don’t Answer your phone unless you know who is calling. If you don’t have call display with your phone company or on your phone, an investment in a small answering machine works just as well. If the phone rings and you aren’t expecting anyone to call, let the machine kick in to answer it. If the person on the other end of the phone knows you they will leave a message, if they hang up without leaving a message you don’t need to talk to them. 
• Tell family and friends that you do not answer your phone unless you know who is calling, and ask them to leave a message on the machine if it kicks in. If you are home you will pick up the phone, if not you will call them back later. 
• If you do get caught on the phone with someone trying to sell you something, as soon as you can interject and say politely NO THANK YOU, if they insist say it one more time and then hang up. 
• If you have call display and you see 1-800 1-866 or 1-888 come up when the phone rings, pick up the phone just enough for it to come off of the cradle and then hang it up. Don’t feel guilty… Don’t feel Bad.. It’s your phone you pay the bill… 
• Do not buy anything over the phone. 
• Do not give out any personal financial information over the phone, such as bank information, credit card information and income information, unless you have initiated such a conversation and know you are dealing with a trusted company. 
• Any suspicious phone calls you do receive or that you feel uncomfortable about, tell someone you trust about it/them especially before committing to anything or sending funds anywhere. 

And most of all, You pay the phone bill, you have the right to answer it when you want to, to who you want to. It’s in your house, and belongs to you, so don’t feel guilty, or bad if you don’t answer it.

Remember that when you want to purchase something you are the one that needs to go looking for it, you do not need someone calling your house, selling you something you don’t need or aren’t ready for. 

Source: Whitby This Week: March 8th Edition

From the Editor: 

Hi folks I received the following in my email this morning, I think I have seen it circulated around Christmas time but thought it would be nice  to share again… now I know it’s not Christmas, but kindness and compassion don’t need a season… A lot of things get circulated around the internet these days, people trying to scam others, and people telling tall tales just for the fun of it…. but the following whether a true story or not, (and I hope it’s true) sure makes you think how a little kindness can make all the difference…. Enjoy…. :)

A letter from the Post Office … this is absolutely the best…

 

 

We don’t know who replied, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service ! 

 Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month.

The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.

She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.

I told her that I thought we could so, and she dictated these words:

 Dear God,

 Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much.

I ‘m happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.

I hope you will play with her. She likes to swim and play with balls.

I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog.

I really miss her.

 Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey & Meredith , addressed it to God/Heaven.

We put our return address on it.

Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven.

That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.

A few days later, she asked if  God had gotten the letter yet.

I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, ‘To Meredith’ in an unfamiliar hand.

Meredith opened it.

Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, ‘When a Pet Dies.’

Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope.

On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I recognized her right away.

 Abbey isn’t sick anymore.  Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart.  Abbey loved being your dog.

Since we don’t need our bodies in heaven, I don’t have any pockets to keep your picture in so I’m sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank-you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me.  What a wonderful mother you have.  I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I’m easy to find.  I am wherever there is love.

 Love,

 God