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Apply Wisdom to Avoid Being Scammed
~ by Carol Vartuli
Being older does not necessarily make you wiser when it comes to financial scams. In 2021, losses from romance scams alone hit a record $547 million -- a staggering 80% year-to-year increase. While all age groups are targets of this kind of fraud, individuals over the age of 70 reported the highest individual median losses: $9,000.
Losses from romance scams alone totaled $1.3 billion in the last five years. The Internet and social media have spawned and support myriad money-making scams. Older people suffer the greatest dollar losses from fraud, probably because scammers assume they have more assets to lose. That's not always so--many seniors live on fixed incomes and may not have unlimited reserves. But they're doing far more shopping, socializing and banking online than seniors did a decade ago.
Some Top Scams
In a romance scam, the perpetrator creates a fictitious identity, using stolen photos of an unknowing person. The scammer initiates a relationship with the victim on a dating or social media app, and gains the victim's trust. The scammer professes love and desire to marry, yet there are always obstacles that prevent meeting in person (the pursuer lives/does business in another country, for example). Once the victim is emotionally involved, the scammer begins to ask for money-- for airline tickets to visit, to pay off debts, or to invest in business deals. As long as the victim stays hooked, the scam can go on for months, even years. Family members have difficulty convincing the victim that he or she has been scammed.
Another top type of scam is business impersonation. The company most often impersonated is Amazon; the second is Apple. In this scam, you receive a phone call, text or email message from "Amazon" about suspicious activity or unauthorized purchases on your account. When you respond, a fake company representative tricks you into giving them remote access to your computer or phone. They promise to 'fix' the problem and give you a refund. Somehow, extra zeros are keyed in, and you receive too large a refund, and you're told to return the difference. The "representative" may even plead that he'll be fired if you don't return the money. Of course, the refund wasn't real, and you are sending our own money to the criminals.
Another form of business impersonation comes as a message that appears to be from a well-known company. The text or email announces that you’ve won a free product, like an Apple iPad or iPhone. After clicking the link to claim the prize, you must enter your credit card information to pay for “shipping.” Your 'prize' turns out to be the charges you didn't agree to.
A third type of scam involves computer and technology support. The most insidious are pop-up messages--or even phone calls--telling you that your data has been compromised and you should engage the (scam) company's services to save it. If you are convinced, the scammer can gain access to your computer and hold your data hostage--to extort money from you, or access your financial files directly.
How Can I Protect Myself?
The best action is to never send money, or divulge banking or other personal information to anyone or any company you're unsure about. Contact your bank, or companies you do business with, to ask whether they sent a particular email or text. Reputable company websites have fraud departments where you can report suspicious contacts. If you cannot verify the contact, it is most likely a scam.
If you fall prey to a scam, you may feel embarrassed, but you're not alone. Knowing the many types of scams and scammers' modus operandi may help you avoid potential danger.
Where Can You Learn More?
Being older does not automatically make you wiser, but substantial life experience can serve you well in learning to avoid scams.