Don’t Get Scammed

COMPUTER SCAMS

HOW TO AVOID GETTING CAUGHT IN A SCAMMER’S WEB

In August of last year, Emile Fabacher bought a Garmin GPS and decided to install it himself. He Googled the Garmin website, found what he thought was the legitimate Garmin International site, and clicked the phone number on the screen, speaking to “Josh” who got Fabacher’s GPS going. At the end of the conversation, Josh asked if Fabacher needed any more help with his computer and gave him another number to call. “By the time I called the number Josh gave me, he got into my computer, got all my banking and credit card information, and had all the passwords for those and my PayPal account,” says Fabacher. “In no time, he racked up charges for more than $3,200. I’d been scammed.”

Emile Fabacher is not alone.

One in ten Americans ages 65 and older will become victims of computer scams, a $2.9 billion hit in 2020 alone. And the numbers are actually worse, as only one in 24 victims report the abuse. “Senior citizens are an easy target for scammers,” says Cynthia Albert, the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) local vice president of operations/media relations. “Often they live alone, are lonely, and are not as computer savvy as they should be. Seniors are more willing to listen to a scammer’s pitch and even sympathize with what he has to say.” According to a Senate Special Committee on Aging, the most common scam is the computer contact or phone call saying the caller is from the Internal Revenue Service. Often the caller will threaten the individual or warn of foreclosure, arrest or deportation if payment isn’t made. Since 2013, 2.4 million Amercans were targeted with this scam and 14,700 taxpayers lost more than $72 million. “The IRS, Social Security office or Medicare will never contact a citizen by computer or phone call. They will mail you an official letter,” says the BBB’s Cynthia Albert. “These con artists will try to intimidate you and use all sorts of scare tactics to get you to turn over your computer information, your bank records, your passcodes. Do not respond to them in any way.” Other scams include callers from “sweepstakes” that say the victim must pay a fee in order to claim the winning cash prize. At the peak of this scam, seniors lost more than $300 million. Most of these calls originate from Jamaica with a 876 area code. “Sadly, the Federal Communications Commission does not have jurisdiction over overseas calls,” says Albert.

Take control

If you think you have been scammed, take charge. Once Emile Fabacher realized he had been scammed, he called the BBB, his bank, and credit card companies. He also filed a report with the local police. To date, four of his five credit cards have accepted his explanations and forgiven the charges. He is still working with the fifth credit card company. He also reported the scammer “Josh” to Garmin. The company had no record of his working for them. “These scammers are smart,” says Fabacher. “They know how to jump through all the hoops. Seniors need to be aware. We need stronger laws to protect seniors. I’ve been working with computers since 1980 and you’d think I’d know better. And I got hit big.”

Laura Claverie is a longtime New Orleans journalist and executive editor of Nola Boomers.

DON'T GET SCAMMED

10 TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR INFORMATION AND MONEY SAFE

First things first: Scammers are dishonest creeps who are out to steal as much as they can from you – your identity, life savings, and everything in between. They use advanced technology to their benefit and become better at subterfuge every day.

How to beat them at their own game:

BE PROACTIVE

Hackers can get to your information when computer updates are not current. Update your Windows operating system (OS) or Mac iOS regularly. Or, set all devices to automatically update: desktop, laptop, smartphone, and pads.

PASSWORDS

Do not store your passwords, bank routing or other important information on your device. Use a good security app in the cloud to hold your sensitive information.

BE SKEPTICAL

Don’t believe your caller ID. Scammers can spoof (fake) both company phone numbers and numbers in our area code to look legitimate. The same is true for email addresses and website homepages.

PROTECT YOUR SOCIAL IDENTITY

Set your social media (Facebook) privacy settings to “private.” And set sharing to “friends only,” be careful what you share (like being out of town on vacation), and don’t accept invitations from strangers.

BE RUDE

Hang up! You do not have to listen to anyone on the phone or give them any information.

BE ALERT

Sign up for free scam alerts from the FTC at ftc.gov/scams.

DON’T CLICK EMAIL LINKS OR OPEN ATTACHMENTS

Links, if clicked, can download computer viruses or malware that enable them to either steal your identity or lock your computer for a “ransom” to free it. Without opening, move suspicious emails to your “spam” folder.

GET VALIDATION

Call whatever company or government agency directly to determine if you did indeed receive a phone call or email from them.

PROTECT YOUR SOCIAL IDENTITY

Set your social media (Facebook) privacy settings to “private.” And set sharing to “friends only,” be careful what you share (like being out of town on vacation), and don’t accept invitations from strangers.

IGNORE UNKNOWN PHONE NUMBERS

We all know how frustrating “robocalls” are, with their recorded spiels pitching services. Ignore any unknown numbers to prevent being patched through to nefarious companies that may try to steal your identity or rack up hidden fees.

PAY BY CREDIT CARD

Credit card fraud protection will protect you if someone uses your card information without your knowledge. By federal law, you will only be liable for $50 if your account is compromised and you report it.