Turning 65 - Don’t Answer the Phone - “It’s Fraud!”
By Timothy F. Gibbons, M.Sc.
Writing any type of advice for the baby boomer generation is like trying to explain the cure for stubbornness, or how to fly without buying an airline ticket. But this quick update is intended just to remind you that in the new digital world, in which you were the “Beta Boomers” who tested those little green screens, and every application created, on every kind of mobile phone and early software edition of a portable laptop, which now explains your intractably aching shoulders and cramping fingers, can hurt you, no matter your past experience.
The new game in town is how to rob the elderly, without passing through the exclusive posh gates at the front of your complex. No posh gates, or “Bob to open the front door,” then keep reading, as the global criminal crowd is taking to the internet and to your phone, to pick your pockets and drain your bank accounts.
Robbery is a crime, but if you just take one step forward and Don’t Answer the Phone, you can largely avoid the new fraud and the criminal endeavors. How? By understanding that the new crime wave is operating in your very own hands, through those high-tech mobiles that we all seem to be looking at way too much every day and reacting accordingly.
Malware
Honey, let it Roll Over is the new suggestion you can whisper into your sweetie’s ear, or repeat to yourself in front of the mirror every morning 10 times, while brushing your teeth. Your phone is a digital platform that the global criminal gangs have access to, due to the various hacks, or Notifications of Data Breach letters that you receive weekly.
Most of you still reading this even fail to notice that all of your “personal data” is out there, circulating around the world, thanks to AT&T, UnitedHealth Care, Frontier, Facebook, X, eBay, Snowflake, Cricket, CrowdStrike, and other internet businesses who have failed to invest in firewall or digital hardware to protect you from the malware and other bad digital bits infecting your phone every second.
Without legislative digital protection of your data here in the USA, your banking, your medical records, the pictures or links you just received and don’t recognize, all these open the front door to your wallet or bank account in a split second. Do not tap on that screen like an unsuspecting sheep being herded by your phone. The digital criminal knows how Seniors (Yes, that is you still reading this if you are over 65!) are sitting there with that mobile phone wide open and ready to ring! Don’t Answer the Phone, let it roll over!
American Seniors represent one of the wealthiest groups of people in the world, so the USA is a global favorite with criminals seeking to rob you of every penny they can! Think about all those cards in your pocket – Medicare, Car Insurance, Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Driver’s License, Social Security, Billy Bob Discount Barn, Gas, My Health, My Kids, My Frequent Flyer, My Front Door, Museums, and more … all of them loaded with personal data and digital access points.
If taken together, for example, if you get your pocket picked or lose your wallet, these cards are a vast and detailed list of access points to your accounts that can be scammed, skimmed, and scanned. Protect yourself and protect those hard-earned cards!
So, before you take an incoming call, know who is calling you; certainly, it is not one of the dear friends listed above. When you don’t recognize the number, don’t answer the phone, let it roll over to voicemail. Whoever is calling with legitimate business will leave you a full and complete message that you can respond to, once you recognize who, what, where, when, and why they are calling you.
Here is the advice from Experian*, the folks who track your credit scores better than anyone are saying: “Many of the current scams targeting seniors fall under the broad “impersonator” scam category, where the scammer pretends to be someone to gain your trust or scare you into complying.
The Grandparent Scam
The grandparent scam happens when a scammer reaches out to someone and pretends to be their grandchild. The scammer will often make up a distressful situation – such as being stuck in jail, or behind on an important bill, and ask for financial assistance.
They might ask you to send money immediately using a wire transfer, or to buy gift cards and read off the card’s information. To avoid raising suspicions from other family members, the scammer might ask you to keep everything a secret.
But the safest option is to verify the situation by calling a family member who knows where your grandkid is right now. You could also ask the caller a few questions that only your actual grandchild would know how to answer.
Medicare Scams
Medicare scams involve scamming Medicare beneficiaries by claiming to be a Medicare representative and asking for personal and medical information. The scammer might tell you that you need a new Medicare card or offer you discounted additional coverage. But they’ll then use or sell your personal and medical information for identity theft and medical identity theft.
Alternatively, some Medicare scams advertise free or low-cost services or equipment to seniors. But the scammers deliver shoddy services or equipment and then bill Medicare for the full amount.
Online Romance Scams
Romance scams occur when someone builds a romantic or platonic relationship with you and then starts asking you for money. The scammers might create complete social media profiles and have sophisticated backstories for their fake identities. Also, while dating sites are a common starting point, some scammers will approach you on social media or through online games.
The FTC reports that people lost $1.3 billion to romance scams in 2021 alone, more than in any other FTC fraud category. People of all ages fall victim to romance scams, but median losses for victims who are over 70 were $9,000—that’s compared with $750 for those ages 18 to 29.
It may be a long con, with someone taking weeks or months getting to know you before asking for anything. Once they do, the scammers may ask you to invest in a business proposition or send them money.
Employment and Money Mule Scams
Seniors who want to stay active and earn money may be looking for a new job, and scammers can target this group in several ways. You may come across promises for easy work-from-home jobs and be told all you need to do is pay for training – you’ll pay, but there isn’t a real job available. Or, you might be asked for your personal information, which will then be used for illegal purposes.
Criminals will also look to recruit “money mules” through job ads and romance scams. As a money mule, you’ll be asked to deposit funds into your bank account and transfer money to someone else. It may be legitimate in the sense that you’ll be paid for the work. Though you may be laundering criminals’ funds, and you could be personally liable even if you aren’t aware that you’re doing something illegal.
Online Shopping Scams
Scammers set up websites that seem like legitimate storefronts but only exist to collect your payment information or sell you stolen goods. These sites can look surprisingly real, and you may come across them on social media or in websites’ comments sections.
The FTC highlighted online shopping scams as the most frequent type of fraud that targets older adults in its annual report to Congress on protecting older adults for 2021. In some cases, these reports were for websites that sold them masks or other limited-supply items during the pandemic and then never delivered the products. You can look for red flags on websites you visit, such as surprisingly low prices and spelling errors.
Phone Scams
There are different types of phone scams targeting seniors, including robocalls that offer free medical supplements, devices or discounts. But if you respond, you may be tricked or pressured into sharing your address, personal information and a credit card account number. The scammers can then use these stolen credentials to commit credit card fraud.
Many other scams also start with a phone call, such as IRS imposter scams – when the scammer calls and claims that you owe taxes and could be sent to jail if you don’t pay them right away. However, the IRS will never initiate contact by phone and won’t ask for unusual payment methods, such as gift cards.
Home Repair Scams
Older adults may be more likely to own homes and be at home throughout the day, and scammers will knock on doors or make calls to offer home repair services. You might also be targeted if you live somewhere that was recently hit by a natural disaster. Or, the scammer might be selling home improvements, such as energy-efficient upgrades or solar panels that claim to save you money over time.
After accepting an initial deposit, the scammer may disappear or do subpar work that could lead to more trouble than help. Some scammers even try to get victims to apply for financing to cover the cost of the job.
Tech Support Scams
Tech support scams often start with a popup or online advertisement warning you that your device is infected or vulnerable. You may be prompted to install an update or new software, which turns out to be malicious software that can take over your device or steal your information.
In a different twist, you might be prompted to call tech support for help – but the tech support person could trick you into giving them control of your computer. Or they may tell you that you need to pay for additional protection, support or an upgrade.
Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams
You might get a call, email, text or letter telling you that you’ve won a prize or can enter into a sweepstake – but it’s all made up. The scammers will often tell you that you need to pay upfront, perhaps to buy sweepstake tickets or to cover a processing fee. They’ll keep the payment, and you won’t get anything in return. Additionally, they may also ask for your personal information, which they can then steal and use.
Charity Scams
A charity scam is when scammers persuade victims to send money to a fake charitable cause. They might pressure you to act quickly, and sometimes use a current event as a reason for why you need to send money right now.
But before giving money away, you can research charities on sites like Charity Navigator and CharityWatch. If you want to donate, visit the official website or call the organization using the information from search results.
Basic Steps to Avoid Senior Scams
While scammers often use different premises and tactics when targeting victims, a few basic practices can help keep you safe. Share these with friends and family members as well, as they can help protect people of all ages:
Be Wary of Anything that Seems too Good
A high-paying job that you can do from home, free medical care or a wealthy love interest can all seem great but if it feels like you just won the jackpot, you may want to step back and reevaluate the situation. You can also always ask friends and family members for their opinions.
Watch Out for Incoming Communications
Scammers can make phone calls and emails that look like they’re coming from legitimate companies and government organizations. But it’s often best to ignore people that contact you, or, at a minimum, avoid sharing private information. Looking up the organization’s contact information and initiating the exchange yourself is a safer option
Add extra security to your accounts. Many online accounts let you turn on multifactor authentication. You may then need to enter a code that’s sent to your phone or email, or that you generate with an app, before accessing your account. Enabling this extra security measure can keep scammers out of your accounts even if they get hold of your username and password.
Avoid odd payment types. Scammers will often ask you to send them money with a wire transfer, money order, cryptocurrency, payment app, or gift card. These can all be red flags that you’re talking to a criminal.
If a scammer tricks you into sharing information or handing over money, you can report the fraud to the FTC on ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Depending on what happened, you may also want to file a police report or get a personalized recovery plan from the FTC using IdentityTheft.gov.”*
In conclusion, Don’t Answer the Phone; Let it roll over!
*Timothy F. Gibbons, M.Sc. is a retired Healthcare Executive and Digital Dummy.