By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Scammers aren’t choosy about who they fleece. But some view senior citizens as easy pickings.
So Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Dobson and Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn are taking their scam tip show on the road to senior centers across the county. Last week, they preached fraud prevention at the Wood County Senior Center in Bowling Green.
From 2020 to 2024, reports of schemes stealing $10,000 or more quadrupled, Dobson said. And scams stealing $100,000 or more jumped by seven times.
“We’re pretty confident these numbers are low,” Dobson said.
Scammers have perfected their tricks.
“These people are good. They are very convincing. This is what they do all day long,” Dobson said.
And they don’t give up.
“They don’t stop,” Wasylyshyn said. “They are going to keep doing it in hopes they might get you at a weak moment.”
Seniors are targeted for a variety of reasons, Wasylyshyn and Dobson said.
First, some older citizens lack technical knowledge, so they are more susceptible to fraudulent schemes on computers and cell phones.
Seniors are also more likely than younger people to have available funds. They may be more susceptible to fear tactics, and are more likely to have family ties that scammers use against them. And in some cases, scammers play on the possibility that seniors are lonely, and vulnerable to romance schemes.
“They are going to prey on that knowledge,” Dobson said.
Scammers also take advantage of the different eras in which senior citizens were raised.
“We were raised with a certain level of politeness, of some decorum,” Dobson said.
“We were all raised to answer the phone,” Wasylyshyn said.
But the seniors were advised to not answer the phone if they don’t recognize the number. “Let it go to voicemail,” the sheriff said.
Wasylyshyn offered other tips based on scams reported to his office.
First, no real computer company is going to call you to report a problem with your computer. “Microsoft has no idea if you have a problem with your computer,” the sheriff said. “It’s a scam. Hang up.”
Second, the Social Security office is not going to call you and ask for your Social Security number and account numbers. “Hang up the phone,” he said.
And don’t fall for the “grandson in jail” scam. When the caller warns you to pay up quickly to save your “grandson” from spending a night in jail, don’t believe it. “You can call any jail at any time and find out if someone is in jail,” Wasylyshyn said. “Or hang up and call that relative and see if they’re in jail.”
Scammers play on their victims’ fears of letting family members down, or making matters worse.
“They want to make you afraid something bad is going to happen,” Dobson said.
It’s this fear that convinces smart people to make hasty decisions that end up costing them big money.
Wasylyshyn told of a 90-year-old woman who was convinced to write several checks a month to what she believed was her local police department that needed the funds. She mailed the checks to a post office box in South Carolina, and never saw the money again.
In another case, a middle-aged person was told she had child pornography on her computer, and she needed to send cryptocurrency to the caller to take care of the issue. The woman said she wanted to call the sheriff’s office to talk about it, but was warned, “You have a few minutes to send me $40,000.” And if she confided in her husband, he could also be charged, the caller said. She sent the money.
In another case, a local man got a call from someone claiming to be from Homeland Security, who said they needed the man to help them stop a money laundering scheme that his wife may have been involved in.
“He totally believed he was helping Homeland Security,” Wasylyshyn said.
Many of these schemes are never reported – or reported too late – since seniors feel shame and embarrassment – especially if they are out thousands of dollars.
“One of the reasons scammers love senior citizens is because they aren’t going to report tens of thousands of dollars being lost,” Dobson said. Some older adults worry that their independence could be at risk if their poor decisions come to light.
“They are going to feed into that,” Dobson said of the scammers.
The goal of fraudsters is to get information – and ultimately money – from their victims.
“They are trying to get your money,” either cryptocurrency, cash, gift cards or gold, Dobson said.
Wasylyshyn and Dobson stressed the following details should never be given to people suspected of wanting it for illegal purposes:
- Date of birth, Social Security number, and government ID numbers such as for Medicare.
- Usernames and passwords.
- Credit card or bank account information.
“Never give this personal information out to someone who contacts you,” Dobson said.
If the caller identifies themselves as representing your bank, the best advice is to hang up on them. Then either go to your bank, or call your bank on a number listed by the bank – not the number used by the scammer.
Dobson and Wasylyshyn explained their intent was not to scare seniors from using the internet. They just want them to be smart.
“No governmental entity accepts cryptocurrency. No governmental entity accepts gift cards,” Wasylyshyn said.
Dobson told of hearing from a man who said his father was contacted by someone claiming to represent the Secret Service. The caller said they had reason to arrest the man, and would do so if he didn’t buy gold online and leave it in a mailbox, where a courier would pick it up.
“They want you to be worried and to be scared,” Dobson said.
“He was ashamed of himself and didn’t tell anybody” till much later, he said. “All that money is gone.”
The sheriff and prosecuting attorney also cautioned seniors about retail scams involving fake deliveries, fraudulent membership renewals, and unneeded technical support.
They warned their audience to not click on anything they are unsure of – like security alerts on computers.
“Don’t panic. They want you to act before you can think about it,” Dobson said.
And don’t fall for a phone call about missed jury duty, ordering that a fine be paid in gift cards, or you will be arrested and jailed. Again, people may fall for this because they were raised to respect and obey authority figures.
“There is not going to be a warrant for your arrest for missing jury duty,” Wasylyshyn said. No sheriff’s office is going to alert someone of a warrant for their arrest. “We don’t call ahead,” he said.
The seniors were given tips on how to spot scams:
- Stay vigilant.
- Power of hanging up.
- Only answer calls you know.
- Trash unexpected invites or offers.
And they were coached on how to stop them:
- Stay calm.
- Trust someone you know.
- Only outlaws want your money or personal info.
- Protect your personal information.
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