Dear Editor:
The Federal Trade Commission has reported that consumers lost $5.8 billion to fraudulent scams in 2021 and projected the 2022 loss will exceed that amount.
While younger people (ages 20-39) were the most likely to be scammed, seniors (those over 70) were the least likely, but they were, on average, hit for a higher loss amount.
The top scams were identity theft, imposter scams, bogus debt relief and fake business opportunities. Others include fake computer repairs, stock tips, very cheap products and services.
Just this past week I received a scammer call pretending to be my daughter, indicating she was about to be jailed for shoplifting unless some payment was immediately paid. Although I knew my daughter would not shoplift, I immediately called her and she said she was working and was not involved in a shoplifting event.
Shortly after my call, a friend called me to report she was almost scammed by a call saying her daughter was involved in an automobile accident, was injured and had severely injured a pregnant woman. She hung up and quickly called her daughter’s phone, notwithstanding she was told her daughter’s phone was taken so she could not be reached, and her daughter answered and said not to worry, she was home and had not had an accident.
This is a new twist on the grandchild call that most people know about, so it just shows the scammers are updating their scams.
Many scammers know how to spoof phone numbers to make the calls and texts and can create seemingly good business and government letterheads and addresses to make them seem legitimate. When in doubt, hang up and call the number or the business directly. You will find most numbers are non-existent as I do regularly.
Best defenses to avoid being a victim are: do not open attachments to text messages or email or links contained therein, if from a stranger;
