Guess who the IRS just gave $7.25 million? Good old Equifax.

That’s right, the same Equifax that exposed more than 145 million of us to identity theft that will haunt us for the rest of our lives. That’s the same company whose executives allegedly engaged in massive insider trading months BEFORE telling people their information had been stolen.

That’s the same Equifax that sells our most sensitive, personal information to marketers and financial institutions. That’s the same company that sees us as only products and commodities, to be sold to the highest bidder, so the firm can reap massive profits.

And here’s the kicker: They were given OUR tax money “to help verify taxpayer identity and validation for the IRS!”

We’re definitely “down the rabbit hole” on this one. Executives of that company, if found guilty, need to go to jail and be heavily fined for their crimes against us all — not rewarded with taxpayer money.

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RIKKI DON’T GIVE THAT NUMBER: It’s approaching Medicare enrollment time once again. Each year, for about three months, those of us eligible for Medicare are bombarded by junk mail, TV commercials and telephone calls by health insurance companies, frantically attempting to vacuum up the billions and billions of dollars in Medicare payments and subsidies.

In addition to the deluge of propaganda, the rush to sell us policies, by hundreds and hundreds of companies, also provides excellent coverage for crooks and scammers preying on seniors.

DON’T ever give out your Medicare card number, your name, or any other personal information to ANYONE over the phone. That number is like gold to crooks and scammers. If you need help, please call me. I have the names of reputable insurance agents in our area who will help you and yours select the best policy by comparing different offerings and matching them to your specific needs. Do your shopping early; don’t wait until the last minute to pick a provider. (Incidentally, my apologies to Steely Dan for butchering their song title.)

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CONSUMER CHAMP of the WEEK: A friend and reader of this column, Jeri, caught a particularly nasty scam. Jeri is also a reader of the Reader’s Digest. The readership of this periodical, this American icon, is mostly older Americans. You can often find the large-print version sitting on that table in any senior assisted living facility. The demographic that reads “the Digest” is older, and as we all know, specifically targeted by crooks and scammers.

So here’s the skinny. Jeri was contacted by scammers, pretending to represent the Reader’s Digest. They offered her a special “water line insurance” policy for her property. The scammers have really done their homework on this one: They identify the target as a senior and match the person with their home property address and tax information. The caller, or in some cases, the direct mail piece, will specifically identify the target by property and taxpayer, sometimes giving detailed information (all publicly available). It looks and/or sounds very official. Don’t fall for this one. Jeri didn’t. She called me. P.S. Jeri is almost 90 years old and still reads the small-print version of Reader’s Digest.

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CHECK THAT CHARITY: If you’re thinking about giving, give smart. Look up the charity you’re considering giving to and check them out on the website Charity Navigator. If you don’t have a computer, call me and I’ll look it up for you. The website is: www.CharityNavigator.org.

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VICTIM OF OUR SUCCESS: Lately with the Equifax security breach, many, many people have called asking me about the situation and how they can protect themselves. As a result, I’ve received so many calls on some days that my voice mailbox fills up several times each day. I work as fast as I can to listen to each message. If you don’t need a call back, please say so in your message. If you need to talk to me, make sure you tell me that AND leave a number. I also read EVERY email sent to me. Please, with your email, include a call-back number and let me know if you need me to call.

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COMPUTER TIP: If you’re working away at your computer and a pop-up appears informing you that a “Pornographic Virus” has been detected, don’t panic, don’t start divorce proceedings against your spouse, and for heaven’s sake, don’t call any number listed on the screen, or pay an anonymous voice on the phone for “virus protection and cleaning.” Simply unplug your computer from the wall and wait about 15 minutes before restarting. ALWAYS have a backup of any important information or files, including irreplaceable photos. External backup drives are very affordable and available locally at most office and computer stores.

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ANOTHER HVAC COMPLAINT: A local heating and air conditioning company and consumer aren’t seeing eye to eye. As far as I have been able to determine, there is no contract, only a bid, which was not signed by the consumer. Unfortunately, the scope and the cost of the work as well as other key elements of a good contract are missing. The company wants to be paid. The consumer is questioning the work done, and whether or not it was “as ordered.” No simple solution.

A written, signed contract would have gone a long way to avoiding this mess. A good example of a good law regarding contacts is this: in real estate, it’s almost never enforceable unless it’s in writing. That’s a great law, for a good reason. Be a good consumer and get a contract in writing. MY ADVICE: In this case, contact an attorney.

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I have many more tips and interesting cases that I’m working on as The CDA Press Consumer Guy. Call me at 208-699-0506, or email me at BillBrooksRealEstate@gmail.com or fax me at 866-362-9266. Please include your name and a phone number. I am available to speak about consumerism to schools, and local and civic groups.

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Bill Brooks is the CDA Press Consumer Guy and the Broker and Owner of Bill Brooks Real Estate in Coeur d’Alene.