What do California, Florida, New York, and Texas all have in common? Climate? Nope. Attitudes? Not in this universe. Scams? Bingo! According to the FBI’s 2020 Elder Fraud Report, these four states have the highest incidence of scams against seniors in the country and account for almost one-third of the crimes reported in the US.
The big three scams against seniors
Lots of seniors probably like to think we’re becoming better educated about all this scam stuff. Right? So what’s all the fuss? Well, the problem is that over the past five years, the number of complaints has doubled and the losses have tripled. The bottom line is we’re losing ground in the battle to protect seniors even as we’re getting older and becoming more vulnerable.
Looking for love – the romance scam remains king
Confidence and romance scams accounted for nearly $300 million in losses in 2020. Many of those scams began on social media. That’s a whole lotta love for scammers, but not for the victims. Looking at the numbers, there were only about 6,800 complaints filed in this category, but the losses per incident were significantly higher. I suppose that means where the heart is involved, the pocketbook will follow.
Tip #1: If you’re lonely, don’t go looking for love on Facebook. Also, if your newfound friend asks for money, cut them off and never look back.
Tech support – I’m calling to help you fix your computer
While in the top three as far as number of complaints and the amount of money lost, tech support scams ‘only’ accounted for $116 million in losses. With an average loss of over $1,200, those are some costly mistakes. Contrary to what some people believe, our computers are not being monitored by big tech support companies who reach out to help you when it freezes. Unless, of course, you clicked a link in an email from an unknown sender or visited a bogus website. In that case, the guy who reaches out will actually be interested in your wallet, not a positive review on Yelp.
Tip #2: If the phone rings with a call from someone saying your computer needs service, hang up! For tech support, always contact the company using a known website address or telephone number.
Identity theft – when you’re just not yourself
Anyone who’s ever been the victim of identity theft knows that feeling of outrage and helplessness. Believe me, I’ve been there and felt those emotions. My own experience actually fueled the writing of my second McKenna Trouble in Paradise Mystery, Kauai Temptations. Avoiding identity theft is one part vigilance and one part luck. The vigilance, you can control. The luck, not so much. If you’re caught up in a data breach, the only thing you can do is hope your preventative measures protect you.
Tip #3: Be vigilant about protecting your identity by doing things like shredding documents with personal or sensitive information, never giving out financial information to someone you don’t know, and freezing your credit as a way to protect you when all else fails.
While you’re here, why not check out last month’s tip—Three tips to avoid the latest PayPal scam — bogus purchase at Target.
