Senior Scam Alert

The U.S. Department of Justice maintains a Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force, which provides the following list to warn and educate the public about trending elder fraud threats.

Impostor Scam

Social Security Administration imposters contact prospective victims by telephone and falsely claim that the victim’s Social Security number has been suspended because of suspicious activity or because it has been involved in a crime. They ask to confirm the victim’s Social Security number, or they may say they need to withdraw money from the victim’s bank and to store it on gift cards or in other unusual ways for “safekeeping.” Victims may be told their accounts will be seized or frozen if they fail to act quickly.

Perpetrators often use robocalls to reach victims. Victims may be told to “press 1” to speak to a government “support representative” for help reactivating their Social Security number. They also use caller ID spoofing to make it look like the Social Security Administration is calling. With such trickery, perpetrators convince victims to give up their Social Security numbers and other personal information. Social Security Administration imposters operating from abroad often use U.S.-based money mules to receive victim payments and transmit proceeds to perpetrators.

Source: Social Security Administration Tech Support Scam

Fraudsters make telephone calls and claim to be computer technicians associated with a well-known company, or they may use internet pop-up messages to warn about nonexistent computer problems.

The scammers claim they have detected viruses, other malware or hacking attempts on the victim’s computer.

They pretend to be “tech support” and ask that the victim give them remote access to his or her computer. Eventually, they diagnose a non-existent problem and ask the victim to pay large sums of money for unnecessary—or even harmful— services. Tech support scams operating from abroad often use U.S.-based money mules (including legitimateseeming businesses registered in the U.S.) to receive victim payments and transmit proceeds to perpetrators.

Refund scheme: After victims make payments, perpetrators often call back and offer refunds to victims, claiming their tech support services are no longer available. Perpetrators claim to send refund money to the victim’s bank account but falsely claim that too much money was refunded. Perpetrators then induce victims to send payments (often through storedvalue cards such as gift cards), purportedly to reimburse the tech support company for its “over-refund.” Victims have lost hundreds or thousands of dollars to this refund scheme.

—Federal Trade Commission

Lottery Scam

Fraudulent telemarketers based in Jamaica and other countries are calling people in the U.S., telling them that they have won a sweepstakes or foreign lottery.

The fraudulent telemarketers typically identify themselves as lawyers, customs officials or lottery representatives, and tell people they have won vacations, cars or thousands—even millions— of dollars. “Winners” need only pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes. Victims pay hundreds or thousands of dollars and receive nothing in return, and often are revictimized until they have no money left. Lottery scams operating from abroad often use U.S.based money mules to receive victim payments and transmit proceeds to perpetrators.

—U.S. Embassy in Jamaica

IRS Impostor Scam

IRS impostor scams are aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers. Callers claim to be employees of the IRS but are not. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS, and it must be paid promptly through a wire transfer or stored value card such as a gift card.

Victims who refuse to cooperate are threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. IRS impostor scams operating from abroad often use U.S.based money mules to receive victim payments and transmit proceeds to perpetrators.

—Internal Revenue Services

Romance Scam

Millions of Americans use dating sites, social networking sites and chat rooms to meet people. And many forge successful relationships.

But scammers also use these sites to meet potential victims. They create fake profiles to build online relationships, and eventually convince people to send money in the name of love. An online love interest who asks for money is almost certainly a scam artist.

Romance scams operating from abroad often use U.S.based money mules to receive victim payments and transmit proceeds to perpetrators.

—Federal Trade Commission