With various forms of scam types being utilized, community members of all ages including the elderly are encouraged to be aware of some of the various practices that may be used.
Tips to help avoid scams include blocking unwanted calls and text messages. This also includes filtering unwanted messages.
Do not give personal or financial information in response to a request that was not expected. Honest organizations will not call, email, or text to ask for personal information, such as Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers.
Despite receiving an email or text message from a company you do business with and you think it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any links. Instead, contact them using a website that is trustworthy or look up their phone number. Do not call a number that was received or the number from the caller ID.
Resist the pressure to act immediately. Honest businesses will provide time to make a decision. Anyone who pressures an individual to pay or give them personal information is a scammer. Stop and talk to someone that can be trusted.
Before doing anything else, tell someone — a friend, a family member, a neighbor — what happened. Talking about it could help you realize it’s a scam.
Detectives Lopez, Whooten and Brown with the Levelland Police Department encourage any community who feels they have received a suspicious email, phone call or text message to visit the Law Enforcement Center to ensure they are not being targeted by a scam.
Often scammers pretend to be from an organization an individual is familiar with. Scammers often pretend to be contacting someone on behalf of the government.
They might use a real name, like the FTC (Free Trade Commission), Social Security Administration, IRS, or Medicare, or make up a name that sounds official. Some pretend to be from a local business, like a utility company, a tech company, or even a charity asking for donations.
The detectives noted there are scams where the caller ID could show their local law enforcement agency is supposedly contacting them.
The individuals conducting the scam can often use technology to change the phone number that appears on the phone’s caller ID. So the name and number seen might not be real.
If someone has any hesitation of legitimacy, they can contact the LPD through their nonemergency number at 806-8946164. Sundown residents can contact the Sundown Police Department through their nonemergency line at 806-894-6164. For those residing within Hockley County, individuals can call the Hockley County Sheriff’s Office at 806-894-3126. For Cochran County residents, they can call the Cochran County Sheriff’s Office at 806-266-5211.
When contacting an individual a scammer may say there’s a problem or offer a prize. This can include the scammer saying the individual is in trouble with the government, owes money or someone in their family has had an emergency. Some scammers say there’s a problem with an account and will request information on the pretense of verification.
Scammers want the individual to act before having time to think. If on the phone, they might tell the individual not to hang up so their story can’t be checked out.
The scammer might threaten an individual with an arrest, sueing, taking away a driver’s or business license, or threaten deportation.
Scammers will also tell an individual to pay in a specific way.
They often insist that the only way to pay is by using cryptocurrency, wiring money through a company like MoneyGram or Western Union, using a payment app, or putting money on a gift card and then giving them the numbers on the back of the card.
Some will send a check (that will later turn out to be fake), then tell an individual to deposit it and send them money.
Common elder fraud schemes include: Romance scam: Criminals pose as interested romantic partners on social media or dating websites to capitalize on their elderly victims’ desire to find companions.
Tech support scam: Criminals pose as technology support representatives and offer to fix non-existent computer issues. The scammers gain remote access to victims’ devices and sensitive information.
Grandparent scam: A type of confidence scam where criminals pose as a relative—usually a child or grandchild—claiming to be in immediate financial need.
Government impersonation scam: Criminals pose as government employees and threaten to arrest or prosecute victims unless they agree to provide funds or other payments.
Sweepstakes/charity/lottery scam: Criminals claim to work for legitimate charitable organizations to gain victims’ trust. Or they claim their targets have won a foreign lottery or sweepstake, which they can collect for a “fee.”
Home repair scam: Criminals appear in person and charge homeowners in advance for home improvement services that they never provide.
TV/radio scam: Criminals target potential victims using illegitimate advertisements about legitimate services, such as reverse mortgages or credit repair.
Family/caregiver scam: Relatives or acquaintances of the elderly victims take advantage of them or otherwise get their money.
Another form of scam that is becoming common is cryptocurrency investment fraud. Scammers, through various means of manipulation, convince victims to deposit more and more money into financial “investments” using cryptocurrency.
In truth, these investments are fake; all victim money is under the control of—and ultimately stolen by—criminal actors, usually overseas. As a result, victims typically lose all money they invested.
If an individual feels that they have been a victim or a scam, they are encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency.
Once identity thieves have someone’s personal information, they can drain bank accounts, run up charges on your credit cards, open new utility accounts, or get medical treatment on your health insurance.
An identity thief can file a tax refund in the victims name and get the refund. In some extreme cases, a thief might even give the victim’s name to the police during an arrest. Listed are clues that someone has had their information stolen:
An individual sees withdrawals from their bank account that cannot be explained.
Bills and other mail stop being delivered.
Merchants refuse the individuals checks.
Debt collectors call about debts that are not yours. Unfamiliar accounts or charges on your credit report.
Medical providers bill for services you didn’t use. Your health plan rejects your legitimate medical claim because the records show you’ve reached your benefits limit.
A health plan won’t cover you because your medical records show a condition you don’t have.
The IRS notifies you that more than one tax return was filed in your name, or that you have income from an employer you don’t work for.