How to Recognize a Scam
Nearly everyone has received an email, text or phone call that sounds legitimate but is a scam. Scammers have gotten quite sophisticated, and even savvy individuals have been taken in. As reported in the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, more than $10 billion in losses from online scams were reported to the FBI in 2022, the highest annual loss in the past five years. There were some surprising findings in the report; people over 60 accounted for $724 million, or more than two-thirds of the reported losses from call center fraud. Call center fraud occurs when scammers call someone impersonating tech support or government agencies. Another surprise was that people in their 30s filed the most fraud complaints in 2022.
Being the victim of a scam can be costly and is certainly unnerving. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the five top commonly reported scams in 2022 were imposter scams; online shopping scams; prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries; investment-related scams; and business and job opportunities.
Red flags to watch for
Here are five red flags that may indicate someone is trying to scam you:
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Steps to take if you suspect a scam
Take these steps even if the scammer has personal information that makes the scam seem real:
Wendy Roberts prides herself on creating winning strategies while helping her customers maximize their resources and their profits. As a CPA, she knows her way around corporate financials. As an entrepreneur, start-up CFO and a former corporate executive, Wendy offers a broad insight into finding solutions to help her clients achieve exceptional growth and financial success. She has a BS in Accounting from Indiana University, MBA courses at the University of Tampa and years of experience counseling clients on financial and profitable success.
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