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Quebec has made further improvements to the Home Care for Seniors program, as requested over the last year by your Social Action Committee. Two of the improvements include an increase in the tax credit rate from 25% to 30% and an increase in the maximum amount of eligible expenses from $15,000 to $15,600 per year. For a dependent senior the limit is $21,600. The maximum credit is therefore $4,680 per year, or $6,480 for a dependent senior. Unfortunately, the province has introduced a claw back, equal to 3% of the annual family income in excess of $50,000. Some of the eligible items have been revised. For example, if you live in an apartment, you can now claim 5% of the monthly rent shown on your lease, up to a maximum of $30 per month. Doing so, however, means that no other portion of the rent is eligible for the tax credit.

For more information, contact:
Revenu Quebec ,
Complexe Desjardins, PO Box 3000,
Montreal, Quebec H5B 1A4
Telephone : (514) 864-6299
Internet: www.revenu.gouv.qc.ca

Fraud is one form of elder abuse and it is a major problem. Here are some tips to avoid telemarketing and identity fraud. Place these tips somewhere handy for easy reference.

Telemarketing Fraud
Beware of telephone salespeople. Very often we receive telephone calls from people we do not know, or from companies we have never heard of. Telephone salespeople try to convince us to buy something, or they tell us we have won a free gift that only needs a tax payment. Others want us to give them our personal information in order to ensure we receive all the benefits of something we know nothing about. To avoid being “conned” and to avoid losing money or information, please follow these simple rules:

Identity Fraud and Theft
There are many people who look for opportunities to assume someone else's identity. It is quite easy if they have the right information. In this way, they “become you” and you then become responsible for their actions. Here are some ways to minimize this risk:

Never throw away receipts from the ATM machine; shred them as soon as you have checked them against your bank statement.
Always check your credit card statements against the receipts of your purchases then shred them.
Never throw away old credit cards; shred them.
Never give your credit card number over the phone, unless you make the call.
Check your bank statement every month: if you see a problem, speak to the bank immediately.
Never give out your passport number or “lend” your passport to anybody.
Never give out your Medicare number, except to your doctor.
Never give out your name or address, to a stranger, over the telephone, or on the internet, or in person, unless you are ordering something for delivery.
Never use the ATM machine when someone is too close to you, they can see your personal identity number (PIN) as you enter it….tell them to move away.
Never give out your PIN…no matter what is promised.
Never give out your social insurance number (SIN); your SIN is a personal identity, and must be guarded carefully; only banks or money managers need your SIN.
Never sign blank documents of any kind whether it is insurance or investment.
Watch over your wallet or handbag when in a store or shopping; keep it in a deep pocket, on your arm or across your shoulder.
Separate the important cards in your wallet or handbag by having a different card holder for each set of cards. Keep each set in a different part or section of your handbag. Card holders in different colours would be excellent. For example, a cardholder for your Medicare card and hospital cards, plus a list of your medications, a different cardholder for your credit cards, and a different cardholder for your driver's license and car insurance. This way, if you lose one cardholder the rest of your personal information is still safe . Only carry credit cards and identification that are absolutely necessary.
In general , never carry large sums of money. If you need to have lots of cash for a special reason, keep it on your person, in a deep pocket or in a money belt around your waist.
Put any cash away while in the bank, in front of the teller, and never count your money outside the bank.

(The above information was derived from articles from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation)

The Quebec Minister for Seniors' has introduced a plan to fight the mistreatment of seniors. They will spend $1.6 million over the next year on this program, but we believe additiona leffort is needed. Please write or call either the Premier or Minister Blais to ask that the government introduce legislation that will stiffen the penalties for anyone found guilty of participating in or instituting a fraud against seniors.

Premier Jean Charest                            Minister Marguarite Blais,
Premier                                                      Minister des aînés,
835 Rene-Levesque Blvd                     425 Rue Sainte-Amable,
3 rd étage,                                                 4 th étage,
Quebec , Quebec ,                                  Quebec , Quebec ,
G1A 1B4                                                    G1R 4Z1
(418) 643-5321                                         (418) 646-7757
premier.gouv.qc.ca                                m.blais@aines.gouv.qc.ca

It has come to our attention recently that carjackers have been placing paper on the back window of car vehicles as a way of getting the driver of the vehicle out of the car and thus, making it easy for the carjackers to jump in and drive away. If you see paper on your car, please wait until you are in a safe area before removing it.

	July 2008 Volume 4 no. 1
Social Action News
DID YOU KNOW Quebec has made further improvements to the Home Care for Seniors program, as requested over the last year by your Social Action Committee. Two of the improvements include an increase in the tax credit rate from 25% to 30% and an increase in the maximum amount of eligible expenses from $15,000 to $15,600 per year. For a dependent senior the limit is $21,600. The maximum credit is therefore $4,680 per year, or $6,480 for a dependent senior. Unfortunately, the province has introduced a claw back, equal to 3% of the annual family income in excess of $50,000. Some of the eligible items have been revised. For example, if you live in an apartment, you can now claim 5% of the monthly rent shown on your lease, up to a maximum of $30 per month. Doing so, however, means that no other portion of the rent is eligible for the tax credit. For more information, contact: Revenu Quebec , Complexe Desjardins, PO Box 3000, Montreal, Quebec H5B 1A4 Telephone : (514) 864-6299 Internet: www.revenu.gouv.qc.ca ELDER ABUSE & FRAUD Fraud is one form of elder abuse and it is a major problem. Here are some tips to avoid telemarketing and identity fraud. Place these tips somewhere handy for easy reference. Telemarketing Fraud Beware of telephone salespeople. Very often we receive telephone calls from people we do not know, or from companies we have never heard of. Telephone salespeople try to convince us to buy something, or they tell us we have won a free gift that only needs a tax payment. Others want us to give them our personal information in order to ensure we receive all the benefits of something we know nothing about. To avoid being “conned” and to avoid losing money or information, please follow these simple rules: Do not accept any free gifts, vacations or prizes; there is nothing free in this world. Do not send money or a cheque to anyone without speaking to your family or a lawyer. Do not give out your credit card number unless you are ordering something for yourself. Always ask for written information about companies or people who request money from you. Do not fall for words like “high profits” or “no risk”. Always ask for the person's name, telephone number, business identity, street address, and mailing address. Take the time to write this information down. Never pay for services in advance; only pay after services are done. Never give money to a messenger who is sent by the salespeople. Always take the time required to make decisions; legitimate companies will not pressure you to make a quick decision. Identity Fraud and Theft There are many people who look for opportunities to assume someone else's identity. It is quite easy if they have the right information. In this way, they “become you” and you then become responsible for their actions. Here are some ways to minimize this risk: Never throw away receipts from the ATM machine; shred them as soon as you have checked them against your bank statement. Always check your credit card statements against the receipts of your purchases then shred them. Never throw away old credit cards; shred them. Never give your credit card number over the phone, unless you make the call. Check your bank statement every month: if you see a problem, speak to the bank immediately. Never give out your passport number or “lend” your passport to anybody. Never give out your Medicare number, except to your doctor. Never give out your name or address, to a stranger, over the telephone, or on the internet, or in person, unless you are ordering something for delivery. Never use the ATM machine when someone is too close to you, they can see your personal identity number (PIN) as you enter it….tell them to move away. Never give out your PIN…no matter what is promised. Never give out your social insurance number (SIN); your SIN is a personal identity, and must be guarded carefully; only banks or money managers need your SIN. Never sign blank documents of any kind whether it is insurance or investment. Watch over your wallet or handbag when in a store or shopping; keep it in a deep pocket, on your arm or across your shoulder. Separate the important cards in your wallet or handbag by having a different card holder for each set of cards. Keep each set in a different part or section of your handbag. Card holders in different colours would be excellent. For example, a cardholder for your Medicare card and hospital cards, plus a list of your medications, a different cardholder for your credit cards, and a different cardholder for your driver's license and car insurance. This way, if you lose one cardholder the rest of your personal information is still safe . Only carry credit cards and identification that are absolutely necessary. In general , never carry large sums of money. If you need to have lots of cash for a special reason, keep it on your person, in a deep pocket or in a money belt around your waist. Put any cash away while in the bank, in front of the teller, and never count your money outside the bank. (The above information was derived from articles from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation) HELP US ADVOCATE The Quebec Minister for Seniors' has introduced a plan to fight the mistreatment of seniors. They will spend $1.6 million over the next year on this program, but we believe additiona leffort is needed. Please write or call either the Premier or Minister Blais to ask that the government introduce legislation that will stiffen the penalties for anyone found guilty of participating in or instituting a fraud against seniors. Premier Jean Charest Minister Marguarite Blais, Premier Minister des aînés, 835 Rene-Levesque Blvd 425 Rue Sainte-Amable, 3 rd étage, 4 th étage, Quebec , Quebec , Quebec , Quebec , G1A 1B4 G1R 4Z1 (418) 643-5321 (418) 646-7757 premier.gouv.qc.ca m.blais@aines.gouv.qc.ca CAR DRIVERS BEWARE - A NEW TRICK FOR CARJACKERS It has come to our attention recently that carjackers have been placing paper on the back window of car vehicles as a way of getting the driver of the vehicle out of the car and thus, making it easy for the carjackers to jump in and drive away. If you see paper on your car, please wait until you are in a safe area before removing it. SUSPICIOUS EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS If you are suspicious about a telephone call or email, contact the Federal Competition Bureau, toll free at 1-888-495-8501, to find out more information or to report a scam. For more information on these topics or to get involved, please contact the Social Action office at: (514) 342-1234 ext. 7207