Every year, Americans lose billions of dollars to fraud and scams. These scammers become more advanced as technology becomes more sophisticated. They use phone calls, email, text messages, and malware to create a false sense of urgency and convince innocent people to part with their money or sensitive information. Scamming is despicable behavior, but with knowledge, people can protect themselves from this crime. These eight facts will help us understand how scams work and how to identify them.
8 Scammer Facts
1. People seeking to adopt children are vulnerable to scams. (Source)
Unfortunately, scammers take advantage of this emotionally charged process to trick adoptive parents into paying exorbitant fees for a baby or child they’ll never be able to adopt in reality.
2. Many scammers deliberately target elderly people. (Source)
Scammers target elderly people, relying on them feeling tired, unalert, or not tech-savvy enough to spot their schemes. They play on their emotions too, posing as a grandchild who desperately needs them to wire money.
3. Scammers use psychology to manipulate their victims. (Source)
Scammers use tactics that prey on their victims’ trust, emotions, and biases. Their most common tactics include impersonating authority, building an emotional connection with the victim, isolating the victim, using social proof, and creating a sense of urgency or scarcity.
4. Scammers can spoof neighborhood phone numbers. (Source)
People have caught on that they should let unknown numbers go straight to voicemail. To get around this scam protection tactic, scammers have figured out how to spoof a local number, tricking the target into answering a number they think they recognize.
5. Scammers often ask for an unusual payment method. (Source)
Scammers often ask victims to wire money in cryptocurrency or send gift cards. No legitimate business or collection agency would ask for this. Another common tactic is for a scammer to claim they’ll send you a prize or offer debt relief, but to ask for a fee before they proceed.
6. Most Americans have been victims of an online scam. (Source)
73% of Americans have experienced credit card fraud, online shopping scams, or ransomware. These crimes have affected young and old Americans alike. One in six of those affected says they lost money during this scam.
7. Never share personal details over the phone or in email. (Source)
The U.S. government advises citizens not to share personal information, such as addresses or Social Security numbers, online or over the phone. They also advise never sending money to someone abroad if you’ve never met them in person. There are emergency numbers to help Americans abroad that can help you identify if you’re dealing with a scam.
8. Report fraud and scams to the FTC. (Source)
The FTC can share your report with over 2,800 law enforcement officers. Reporting a scam can help shut the fraudster down and protect victims. Reporting is as simple as filling out an online questionnaire on the FTC website.
Featured image photo credit: Anna Tarazevich
