Since the report, she adds, “not only have we seen new advertisers from the same scam networks but also new pages running identical ads. One-third of the entire planet, 3 billion people, are on Facebook. No platform has the same kind of reach.”
Paul notes that deepfakes use several methods to pull consumers in. “If you pause too long or click on one, the platform sends you more and more,” she says. “Some tell you, with a sense of urgency, to call. They know older Americans will be wary of typing in their personal information online but may have more trust on the phone.”
In November, two U.S. senators asked the federal government to investigate scams on Facebook and Instagram; Meta countered by saying it has reduced scams significantly, according to a Reuters news service story.
Amron, the lipedema surgeon, says it took months to get the deepfake video taken down despite posting warnings on social media and appearing on the Today show. “These scams don’t just take money,” he says. “They derail patients from the care they need. Approach any online medical advertisement with caution. Deepfake videos can look completely real, even to trained professionals.”
Protecting yourself
Stick with proven strategies to avoid scams: Pause and reflect before acting. And be skeptical: “You can’t trust anymore with your eyes and ears,” says Balasubramaniyan. “You have to verify. The big thing is to slow down and evaluate the situation.”
More tips:
Don’t trust your caller ID. If you get a call from a business, hang up and find the company’s number (for a bank, it will be on your financial statement, for example), then call directly. No matter what the pitch, anyone asking you to pay with a gift card is a scammer, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The same goes for requests to pay using crypto kiosks.
Pause before you click. Never click on a link in an email or text message without confirming that it’s from a legitimate source. Criminals can craft extremely sophisticated-looking messages, as well as fake websites that convincingly mimic real ones.
Consider choosing a safe word for your family. Share it only with family members or others in your inner circle. If someone calls claiming to be a grandchild, for example, you can ask for the safe word or words — rubber ducky, Fred Flintstone, whatever — and if the caller doesn’t know it, it’s clearly a scam.
Guard your personal information. To avoid identity theft, be careful about disclosing your full name, your home address, your Social Security number, credit card and banking information, and other personal details. Definitely don’t share information with someone you know only from email or texting.
Report scams. If you spot a scam or you’ve been a victim of one, report it to the police, as well as the FBI at IC3.gov. The more information authorities have, the better they can identify patterns, link cases and ultimately catch the criminals. (Find out more about how and why to report scams.)
You can also report scams to the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 877-908-3360. It’s a free resource, with trained fraud specialists who can provide support and guidance on what to do next and how to avoid scams.
The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
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