Torres: Nothing I hate more than a scammer. Space Coast seniors need to be alert
While I don't condone thievery of any kind, there is one group I have a particular disdain for: those who try to scam common, everyday people, or worse yet, those who try to scam the elderly.
Stealing from a corporation with insurance against such losses doesn't anger me as much. Maybe it's the Robin Hoodesque nature of it.
While on the phone with scammers, my wife has heard me let out a cascade of expletives that would have made even George Carlin blush. Yeah, I try to keep them on the phone and string them along, making them think they've landed another pigeon. I wait until the very last possible moment before I unleash my Bronx-trained potty mouth. I figure the longer I keep them on the phone means less time they have to scam someone else.
I close every curse-filled tirade by telling them that I work too hard to earn what I have to let them have it.
I remember one instance a few years back when a scammer sent me an email saying they had commandeered my laptop camera and were going to publish nude images of me if I didn't pay up. Never accused of being a prude, I told them to go ahead!
Of course they didn't have any. And, of course I knew that.
But others, especially some of the not-so-tech-savvy older folks in the population, continue to fall prey to these #&*$%& lowlifes who think nothing of helping themselves to someone's hard-earned savings. One of those who nearly lost her money was Judy Kirk of Melbourne.
"One morning I turned on my computer and there was a flashing message that my computer had been compromised and I needed to call a Microsoft number," she told me. "I will soon be 80 years old and am fairly technically challenged when it comes to computers. So, I dialed the number and it was all downhill after that. I spent four hours with the scammers on the phone."
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The scammers told her that $25,000 was missing from her Money Market account. But, fear not, they could help her retrieve the money. Of course, it would necessitate her wiring some money from her bank account to a company with an address in Wisconsin.
"I have always been wary and considered myself way too smart to be a victim of fraud," Judy said. "However, these people were really, really good. I almost fell for it."
Thankfully, Judy sensed something wrong at the last minute and did not send any money to the thieves. When she shared the story with friends, she was surprised to learn that three in her small circle of closest friends had been scammed by these "creeps," as she calls them.
Every single day, the FBI receives thousands of complaints about fraud schemes targeting the elderly. Not dozens or hundreds but thousands every day.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, total losses in 2023 reported by those over the age of 60 topped $3.4 billion. Yes, that's billion with a "b". Florida ranked second in the nation for the number of complaints and reported losses. Seniors in the Sunshine State reported losses of more than $90 million to investment schemes, $51,496,415 to tech support scams, and more than $40 million to romance scams.
“It’s disturbing to hear the stories of financial hardship these schemes create,” said FBI Tampa Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodney Crawford. “The FBI is committed to pursuing the heartless fraudsters who prey on older Americans. We will utilize all investigative means to bring them to justice.”
Some of Judy's friends fell for the "gift card" scam where someone promises to pay money for gift cards you purchase for them. Other scams to watch out for in Florida include roofing scams, especially after a storm and wellness scams where the scammers peddle fake "miracle" capsules designed to cure all sorts of maladies.
The FBI has a full page of tips on how to spot a scam and advice on what to do if you've been scammed. But these three really stood out to me the most.
Carefully scrutinize all electronic requests for a payment or transfer of funds.
Be extra suspicious of any message that urges immediate action.
Do not send money to any person you meet online or allow a person you don’t know well to access your bank account to transfer money in or out.
I wasn't always this confident dealing with scammers. In fact, they almost got me once when I was asked to call "Apple" because I had been hacked. I spent 30 minutes on the phone with someone who sounded totally legitimate. He told me I had to log on to a website for help. But he made a big mistake. He told me I shouldn't use my work computer. It had to be my personal computer. Since I didn't have a personal computer at that time, I knew I was being scammed.
That's when I decided to have a little fun with him that ended in my wife swinging open my door to see who in the world I was cursing so wildly at.
Contact Torres at jtorres@floridatoday.com. You can follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @johnalbertorres.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Seniors lost more than $3.4 billion to scammers in 2023
