One of the most heartbreaking scams is one where the victim receives a call, text or email from a loved one claiming that they’re in trouble and need financial help. It happens all to often and can decimate your savings in the blink of an eye. And that’s on top of the emotional damage from being the victim of a scam.

In the heat of the moment, and because the caller stresses that it’s urgent, it can be easy to believe that it really is your grandchild or other loved one who’s in trouble. Scammers are really good at convincing you that they are someone they’re not. Information gleaned from social media or a hacked account can make the scam even more convincing. The get you to send money right away before you have time to think about it or check out their story.

Before sending money, take a breath and try to verify the information. Call the family member’s number directly and speak to them. Have another family member verify the claim as well.

What else to do: Report the scam to the FTC (information at the bottom of this page) and let other friends know of the scam. It could happen to them to, and the more we spread awareness, the sooner we can try to slow down or stop the scammers

Here at Stonycreek Township we’re committed to helping to educate our community members about scams that could affect anyone, but primarily target older adults. Watch this page for new information periodically that provides tools & tips for talking with your loved ones about avoiding scams and fraud.

Let’s start by talking about what a scam is. The dictionary defines a scam as a dishonest plan for making money or getting an advantage, especially one that involves tricking people.

Wikipedia says that a scam, or a confidence trick, is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using a combination of the victim's credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed.

No matter how you define it, becoming the victim of a scam can take a big toll financially and emotionally. Next time we’ll dive into specific types of scams and what you can do to be alert and prevent them, as well as how to report a scam that you’re aware of. For now, here are links to help:

Resources:
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams
FBI - https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes
US Federal Government - https://www.usa.gov/scams-and-fraud
Consumer Reports - https://www.consumerreports.org/money/scams-fraud/how-to-protect-yourself-from-scams-and-fraud-a6839928990/