On Sunday, I wrote about an elaborate scam that began on the internet involving cyber currency and alleged bank fraud and that ended up costing a local couple nearly $120,000.
What they found out, and countless others have learned, is that little can be done on a local law enforcement basis to recover money lost, since these crimes often aimed at older folks are the product of thieves hidden behind layers of electronic cover, often in other countries and mostly out of reach even of the U.S. federal government.
One Santa Cruz reader responded to my previous column with an account of how a friend of hers, 80 years old with dementia, has been scammed out of at least $250,000 by falling for a scheme that promises her a huge prize if she first pays taxes on the guaranteed winnings.
But when the reader contacted local law enforcement on several occasions, the best they could offer was sending her to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. She filled out a lengthy questionnaire on the site, but later learned that the site only handled complaints from victims themselves. Since her friend suffers from dementia, that was unrealistic.
So what can be done?
In its most recent bulletin, AARP published an updated “Fraud Survival Guide” that details how scammers, like some primordial virus, continue to adapt to current trends and news, including those that begin as random text messages that pop up on your phone addressed to someone else. If the recipient replies that the message was misdirected, the scammer, often an automated chatbot, sends out follow up messages promising everything from financial windfalls to romantic relationships. Just click here.
The AARP guide cautions members and readers to never respond in any way to texts from numbers you don’t recognize. Just delete the text. Then block the phone number.
Then there’s the fake bank impersonator swindles. AARP warns that scammers in this racket have become so good at impersonating bank officials that victims don’t suspect a con until it’s too late.
Again, never reply to messages that come across your computer screen and never, ever give out bank site pass codes or other ID without first contacting your banking institution.
Then there are myriad crypto currency swindles aimed at people who have already been scammed out of money in the amorphous crypto marketplace. Scammers promise they can recover the lost money if the recipient just sends back personal ID information, including bank account numbers.
The money in all likelihood is not coming back as the local couple I interviewed for the previous column, who were swindled through fake bank officials and a crypto currency con, finally accepted. Do not respond.
Other trending scams include fake testimonial requests; fake barcodes on gift cards scammers have placed atop legitimate bar codes; fake high school sports streaming sites promising access to sites showing a young relative’s games or matches; and sites promoting personal or business relationships.
Again, make sure you block scammers and never agree to go onto private channels to continue the conversation. And never fall for any request that involves crypto.
Then there’s the fake delivery scams, that come from fraudulent sites impersonating delivery businesses, or online marketplaces such as Amazon. The safe response beyond deleting these messages or blocking the caller is to contact the legitimate services using a verified phone number or online presence.
AARP also published a how-to list of steps you can take to protect yourself from the creepy online scam world. Among these:
• Set up “Informed Delivery” with the U.S. Postal Service that will email you daily photos of the mail legitimately coming your way.
• Check your credit report regularly to see any unusual activity in your credit card or other loan accounts.
• Shred any documents that contain private financial information. Shredders are relatively cheap to purchase.
• Be aware of credit card skimmers at point-of-sales places you do business such as service stations. If the card reader looks like it’s been tampered with, pay directly to the cashier.
• Set up two-factor verification for websites you use frequently. Change passwords regularly, allowing your browser to set up passwords thieves cannot figure out.
• Designate unsolicited emails as spam or junk so they do not land in your inbox.
• Double and triple-check URLs to ensure you are being directed to legitimate sites. Scammers often set up websites that use URLs just a letter or two different from the authentic site.
• Do not allow delivery services or retail sites to store credit card or banking information. Pay directly to services or stores, not using a credit card.
• Set up privacy controls on social media sites. Facebook, for instance, offers an online wizard that will take you through this process.
• Report fraudulent posts: Craigslist allows users to report suspected scams (which occur all too frequently on that site and others), which are either removed or marked as fake.
• Never, ever respond to unsolicited text messages. If you wonder if such messages are legitimate, contact the company or organization directly to check. And to repeat, do not click on “warning” messages that appear suddenly on your computer screen.
• Practice saying “no” to bogus callers. Learn how not to engage with unsolicited emails, texts and phone calls.
For a far more complete guide to avoiding frauds and scams, visit AARP’s website at aarp.org/Fraud or call their fraud watch help line at 877-908-3360.
Don Miller is the Sentinel’s Opinion editor and former editor in chief of the Sentinel and Monterey Herald.
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