BPD Community Alert: Scams Targeting Older Adult Involving Imposter Scams
Imposter Scams Targeting Older Adults Are on the Rise. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports a 400% increase since 2020 in older adults losing $10,000 or more to imposter scams. These scams involve criminals posing as trusted entities to trick victims into urgently transferring money, often through cryptocurrency ATMs or by handing over cash or gold to couriers.
Common Imposter Scam Scenarios:
1. “There’s suspicious activity on your account.” Scammers pose as your bank or companies like Apple or Amazon, claiming someone is using your account and urging immediate action.
2. “Your identity is linked to crimes.” Scammers impersonate law enforcement or government agencies (FBI, FTC, ICE, etc.) and claim your personal information is tied to criminal activity. They may threaten arrest or deportation and often use spoofed phone numbers, fake credentials, or even video calls to seem legitimate.
3. “Your computer has been hacked.” You may see a fake security alert (claiming to be from Microsoft or Apple) directing you to call a number. Scammers will then claim your accounts are compromised.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Never transfer money to “protect” it. No legitimate agency will ask you to do this.
- Hang up and verify by calling the real organization using contact info from its official website.
- Don’t trust caller ID as phone numbers and names can be faked.
- Use call-blocking tools to reduce unwanted calls.
Resources and Reporting:
- If you have paid scammers, there are some actions you can take to protect yourself from further issues and potentially get money back. Follow the link here.
- Victims are encouraged to file a police report with their local area station.
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for all telephone originated or US business related fraud via telephone or mail. Follow the link here.
- FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for all internet, email or cryptocurrency-based frauds. Follow the link here.