Impersonation Scams – A fraud that tricks you into believing the caller, e‑mail, or website is a trusted institution (bank, government agency, retailer, or tech support) so that you give away personal data or money.
Scammers are targeting anyone 60+ and stealing amounts in excess of $10K - in some circumstances they are stealing victims' entire life savings! The FTC says losses have jumped from $55M to $445M in 2024. While younger consumers also have reported these scams, older adults were much more likely to report these extraordinarily high losses.
The tricks these scammers tell generally take 3 forms:
Scammers post as bank officals or major brands such as Amazon... telling you to flag any suspicious activity on your account.
Scammers pose as officials... claiming your Social Security number is used for crimes like drug smuggling or money laundering.
A spoof Microsoft / Apple alert shows a number... when you call, the scammer claims your accounts are hacked.
Here are some questions to know what's fake:
Both research and experience say that talking about scams is one of the best ways to avoid them. Ask yourself the questions above when you get that 'out-of-the-blue' message. Then tell someone about the scam you just spotted. Lastly, tell the FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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