Being in difficult financial straits doesn’t mean falling for the first obvious scam of the day.

One Saturday morning, the first e-mail headline read, “Earn $30,000 a month typing at home.” This sounds too good to be true. I’ve been typing at various jobs since I was 16 (more than 50 years) and never earned $30,000 a year, never mind in one month. What gives? Frankly, I would get offended if I didn’t know that these wacko schemes work on some folks. Into the trash this message went.

Among the sale papers delivered on Friday, and hidden in some useful coupons, was a special offer from a major credit card company promising cash back on all purchases. With interest rates on some credit cards in the double-digit figures, they can well afford “cash back,” but again, I hardly think so.

We’re all used to the recorded calls that start out by saying, “This is not a sales call, there is nothing for you to buy,” and then go on to tell about the wonderful vacation to be won if only you’ll agree to attend a seminar in some other state. Travel expenses are up to you – or perhaps they could be charged to that cash-back credit card.

It’s a fact that senior citizens are the biggest target for scam artists. Apparently, we of the trusting generation are easy marks. I think that is changing. As time goes on and we watch those gray-haired multibillionaires (some from our own generation) being escorted off to court, we may learn to ask questions – lots of them – before investing even our time.

If you have access to a computer and the Internet, you can check out most of these scams by going to www.snopes.com, which will also give you the lowdown on all kinds of urban myths about religious messages, helpless children collecting stamps, messages to be sent en masse to one or more legislators and a lot of other heartbreaking and emotional claims – scams of a different type.

Now, with April on the horizon and most of the white ground cover is gone, you may be receiving some forms in the mail for your Maine Homestead (tax) Exemption program. (This is not the same as the Property Tax Circuit Breaker program that starts accepting application in August.)

If you are a Maine homeowner and have resided at the property for at least 12 months prior to April 1, 2009, you may be eligible for the state property tax relief program. Forms have been and are still being mailed to all new homeowners. If you have questions or have not yet received a form, please call your town tax assessor’s office. Applications must be filed with the Assessor’s office by April 1, 2009, to qualify.

While you are thinking about taxes, consider the tax exemption for veterans. Are you a veteran age 62 or older or a veteran’s widow? Are you a legal resident? Did you serve during a federally recognized war period? Do you receive U. S. government pension or compensation as a veteran for total disability?

If you’ve answered yes to these questions you may qualify for partial exemption of property taxes. Applications are available at the assessor’s office and you must apply by April 1.

Property owners who are determined to be legally blind qualify for a partial exemption of property taxes. Documentation of legal blindness should be submitted to the assessor’s office by April 1.

Avoid the scams, report them to the attorney general’s office and check with your assessor’s office or town hall about property tax exemption programs. Then enjoy what’s left of March – and hope it goes out like a lamb.