A recent consumer protection warning from AARP is intended to alert anyone about some new, creative scamming techniques. As always, while these scams can impact anyone, it is our senior population that is often most susceptible.
One new technique has the scammers calling customer service centers for financial institutions, insurance companies and similar businesses in an effort to access client accounts. The crimes have more than doubled in the past year.
Another new scam involves sending bogus text messages to try to defraud people. Smishing (a combination of the SMS technology used in text messaging and phishing) involves a scammer sending a message claiming there’s a problem with your financial account. They ask for data to resolve the issue. Never give out that information to someone you don’t know and trust.
Three new phone scams use technology to trick you to answer a call from someone you don’t know. One uses your area code and prefix to try to convince you to answer the call, making you think it is a legitimate local call. If you answer, and the call seems questionable, hang up without saying anything.
There’s even new technology allowing scammers to use your number as the one the call is coming from. Don’t answer those.
Finally, scammers use auto-dialers that hang up after one ring. They assume if you get enough of those, you will be curious and call back. The best advice here is simply don’t call back.
Scammers continually become more creative. To protect yourself and your finances, it is important to stay vigilant.