Don’t fall for these scams; but if you do, here are tips on what to do next: That’s Rich! recap - cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Nearly everyone it seems has received a phone call like this:

“The reason of this call is to inform you that your Social Security number has been suspended for suspicion of illegal activity. If you do not contact us immediately, your account will be deactivated.”

That’s a scam, obviously so to most people. But it works just enough that bad people keep trying to fish for money and information through scams like that and others. The Federal Trade Commission alone received 20,716 fraud reports from Ohio during the first half this year, with a median loss of close to $200 per complaint.

This past week, That’s Rich!, the personal finance column on cleveland.com and in The Plain Dealer, dug into scams, how to recognize them and where to report problems. In some cases, money can be recovered. Check it out at this link - How to avoid scams; newest fraud tricks; can payment be stopped?

Here’s other topics covered recently by That’s Rich!

Answering questions about unemployment insurance

* Explaining what questions will have to be answered to get the $300, how to extend your benefits beyond 26 weeks, and more answers.

* Where’s my $300 extra for unemployment? How about my missing stimulus check? - Q&A.

* What you need to know to get an unemployment check in Ohio - Laid off? Hours reduced? Business slow or gone away if you’re self-employed? A lot of people have become eligible for unemployment checks who never before encountered the system. Here’s what you need to know.

* $300 Ohio unemployment benefit to be retroactive, plus status of extra 13 weeks of unemployment benefits and a second stimulus checks

Other topics

* Organize your financial records in case you get sick - A check list for what to get organized.

* Explaining Ohio’s maze of city income tax rates and credits, and why you should log where you’ve been working. You might be due a local income tax fund when you fill out your taxes next year. This story includes an income tax chart, showing the difference in tax credits for each Greater Cleveland city and village.

* With mortgage rates at historic lows, should you join the rush to refinance? Here’s what to consider and how much money could be saved.

* Ohio has $3.2 billion in unclaimed funds; find out if some of that money is yours. The state might be holding money that’s yours from an old bank account, a company refund, a lost paycheck or other source. Here’s a how-to on finding the money.

* Roth retirement plan or traditional IRA and 401(k) plans? Is this the time to adjust your thinking? Pre-tax contributions through traditional 401(k) and IRA plans, knowing that the bill will come due when the money is withdrawn, or paying now but being tax free later with Roth accounts?

* Taking college classes online this fall because of coronavirus? Students can save a lot of money. The state maintains an online tool that shows what classes will transfer for credit between schools. This includes both two-year and four-year colleges. The difference could be a savings of thousands of dollars.

* Does it make sense to pay off your mortgage early? Some things to consider are whether the money would be better used for a 401(K) or IRA, but also the peace of mind that comes with being debt free. Four financial pros from the Greater Cleveland/Akron area offer advice.

* CARES Act makes this ideal time for a student-loan payment checkup - Options to make the best use of the 0%, payment-suspension period offered by the federal government under the coronavirus-relief law known as the CARES Act.

* Coronavirus and taxes - An explainer on why you’re likely still waiting for your refund if you submitted your tax form months ago on paper.

Rich Exner, data analysis editor, writes cleveland.com’s and The Plain Dealer’s personal finance column - That’s Rich! Follow on Twitter @RichExner.

Email questions and suggestions to rexner@cleveland.com. Include your hometown and first name for publication. And to help me sort through the clutter of my email box, try to remember including “That’s Rich!” in the subject of the email.

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