Scams
Unfortunately, we probably all know someone who has been the victim of a scam. Here is a little information from the Federal Trade Commission about how scams work and what you can do about it.
ROMANCE SCAMS:
Someone contacts you on social media — and they’re interested in getting to know you. Or maybe you meet someone special on a dating website or mobile app. Soon the person wants to write to you directly or start talking on the phone. They say it’s true love, but they live far away — maybe because of work, or because they’re in the military.
Then they start asking for money. Maybe it’s for a plane ticket to visit you. Or emergency surgery. Or something else urgent.
Scammers of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations make fake profiles, sometimes using photos of other people — even stolen pictures of real military personnel. They build relationships — some even pretend to plan weddings — before they disappear with your money.
Here’s what to do:
1. Stop. Don’t send money. Never send anyone cash or pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency to an online love interest. You won’t get it back.
2. Pass this information on to a friend. You may not have gotten tangled up with a romance scam, but chances are, you know someone who will — if they haven’t already.
GRANDKID AND FAMILY SCAMS:
You get a call: “Grandma, I need money for bail.” Or money for a medical bill. Or some other kind of trouble. The caller says it’s urgent — and tells you to keep it a secret.
But is the caller who you think it is? Scammers are good at pretending to be someone they’re not. They can be convincing: sometimes using information from social networking sites, or hacking into your loved one’s email account, to make it seem more real. And they’ll pressure you to send money before you have time to think.
Here’s what you can do:
- Stop. Check it out. Look up your grandkid’s phone number yourself, or call another family member.
- Pass this information on to a friend. You may not have gotten one of these calls, but chances are you know someone who will get one — if they haven’t already.
BUSINESS IMPERSONATOR SCAMS
You get a call, email, text, or message on social media that looks like it’s from a business you know. It says there’s a problem with your account, or you won a prize. It tells you to call a number or click a link.
But the message isn’t really from a familiar business, it’s from a scammer. If you call, they’ll tell you to send payment or give personal information. They’ll say you must pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency, or by wiring money, which no honest business will do. Or they’ll ask for your Social Security number or access to your computer.
But it was never really that business contacting you, there wasn’t a problem, and there was never a prize.
Here’s what to do:
- Stop. If you get an unexpected call, email, text, or message on social media — even if it looks like it’s from a business you know — don’t click any links. And don’t call phone numbers they give you. These are often scams.
- Pass this information on to a friend. You may not have gotten one of these messages, but chances are, you know someone who has.
Please Report Scams If you spot a scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission.
• Go online: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/
• Call the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or TTY 1-866-653-4261
Your report can help protect other people. By reporting fraud, you can help the FTC’s investigators identify the scammers and stop them before they can get someone’s hard-earned money. It really makes a difference.
If you want to know more about scams and other consumer protection topics, sign up for Consumer Alerts at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFTCCONSUMER/subscriber/new
You can also find articles and other information about scams at https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams
