INDIANAPOLIS — Scammers are stealing billions from our family and friends.
A new report from the FBI found that scammers stole $3.4 billion from people over 60 in 2023.
That is up 11% from last year.
Tech scams are the most reported with more than 17,000 complaints.
For example, you get a text message that asks, "Did you spend $500?" at a store.
When you respond no, it prompts the scammer to call you and trick you into giving them information.
Instead, ignore the fraud alert and call the number on your card directly.
Data breach scams are the second most-reported scam in the same year. While real data breaches happen all the time, companies will typically notify you via mail.
You will not get a personalized phone call from an agent asking you to empty an account for protection.
For extra confidence, freeze your credit with each of the three bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.
Romance and confidence scams round out the top three reports on the list.
These are scams that pull on the heart strings.
A common romance scam is when your loved one funnels money to a scammer pretending to be another real person.
An example of a confidence scam is the "grandparent scam."
You get a frantic call from bad people impersonating your grandkid. The scammer says they've been arrested, and that money is needed to post bail. Scammers can easily search the internet for relative's names.
It's important to educate people who did not grow up with this technology. Otherwise, they could accidentally drain their retirement savings or Social Security.
Signs of scams include a demand, urgency, and consequence.
To remind family members, print the graphic below and post it near their phone:
