Don't send the money - it could be a scam
Jennifer Misek
Online cyber criminals are experts at targeting and financially exploiting unwitting and vulnerable victims. Each year, millions of older Americans across the country fall victim to some type of financial fraud or confidence scheme, including a growing number of Mainers. Common Elder Fraud schemes include:
Common Elder Fraud schemes are:
Romance scams
Tech support scams
Grandparent scams
Sweepstake/lottery/inheritance scams
Investment scams
Charity scams
Family/caregiver scams
Non-delivery of product scams
Methods to Protect Yourself
Never give or send gift cards, cashier’s checks, wire transfers, gold or other precious metals, or cryptocurrency to unverified people or businesses that you have met solely online.
Research social media advertisements online before making a purchase to determine if a product or company is legitimate. Reach out to local law enforcement where the alleged business is located to see if they are aware if the business is real.
Resist the pressure to act quickly. Criminals create a sense of urgency to instill fear and the need for immediate action by the victim.
Never provide personally identifiable information, such as your date of birth, social security number, or address. Be cautious of how much “about you” personal information you share publicly on social media or dating platforms. Criminals can use this information to manipulate their personal story with you to gain your trust.
Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, text messages, mailings, and door-to-door service offers.
Stop communications with the perpetrator but expect the criminal will continue to attempt contact.
Disconnect from the internet and shut down your device if you see a pop-up message or locked screen. Pop-ups are regularly used by perpetrators to spread malicious software or to introduce a method to contact a criminal that is posing as a technology support representative. The scammers gain remote access to the victims’ devices and sensitive information either through the malware or the victim voluntarily handing over access to their computer to the alleged tech support representative under the belief that they are assisting the victim solve a non-existent computer issue.
For more detailed information on the types of scams, additional methods to protect yourself, and further resources, please visit fbi.gov/elderfraud.
The Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3.gov)
The Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3) is the central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime and is run by the FBI. In 2023, total losses reported to the IC3 by those over the age of 60 topped $3.4 billion, an almost 11% increase in reported losses from 2022. There was also a 14% increase in complaints filed with IC3 by elderly victims.
If you, or someone you know, may be a potential victim of elder fraud, please file an online complaint on IC3.gov as soon as possible and include specific details about the crime in the complaint. Individuals aged 60 or older may call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at (833)372-8311 for assistance in filing a complaint with IC3.gov.