Home is supposed to be a peaceful retreat. Unfortunately it is marred by telephone scammers who call and interrupt my activities during the day and into the night.
Scammers Be Gone
Telephone Scammers! I’m tired of them. Robocalls and phone banks of hustlers out to steal money or personal information have made Americans reluctant to answer their phones. This is dangerous, for there are occasions when incoming calls are important.
Hearing that my social security number was compromised or that a large international purchase was made from my Amazon account is getting tiring. Threatening calls come in from the IRS and technicians who want to fix my computer. An extended appliance warranty and a lottery sweepstake award almost trapped me. Thankfully, I realized what was happening before the hustlers got my money, but that didn’t stop their calls from resuming.
Robocalls take pay-to-pray formats to a new level. “Hello, this is the Hope and Prayer Center Ministry calling today to see if you need an urgent prayer. If you would like to have someone from our center pray for you, please press one. If you no longer want to hear from us, please press three.” If you press one, as many Americans do, you will receive a second automated call asking for a donation to the Hope and Prayer Center Ministry. Though not stating how much you will need to donate, it will forward you to a service in charge of collecting payments.
The government anticipates scammers will steal over $2 billion in 2021. Over 95 million robocalls will be initiated daily with the use of advanced autodialing technology in order to reach the few who fall prey to their con. Robocalls are commonly spoofed. That means they are initiated internationally, but the call that comes to your home has a local area code. Legislation introduced in 2019 by bi-partisan members of congress is helping FCC go after companies that spoof.
The government’s warning list of scams is robust. They center on banking, government grants, and pyramid schemes. There are ticket hoaxes, census-related fraud, investment and charity rackets, moving company cons, and Ponzi schemes. Extortionists push time-share vacations homes and supplemental healthcare programs. Since the start of the pandemic, coronavirus ripoffs were added to the list of false rumors and price gouging. Sorry, but you cannot “jump the vaccine line” in exchange for payment. Rackets occur online, through the mail, and on the phone where victims are pushed for an immediate decision. Hardly anyone with a phone is immune from them.
Taking advantage of the public is not new. I admit to fooling an elderly woman when I was twelve. One summer afternoon my cousin and I thought it would be fun to pick a random phone number and tell the person answering the phone that he or she won a prize. Our first call was answered by a sweet lady who was so happy to her of her award that we were horrified by our prank. The woman probably knew we were a couple of kids playing a prank, but she went along with the ruse. Though we didn’t want money or ask anything from the woman, we made an award that was bound to make her feel bad when nothing was received. The guilt my cousin and I felt kept us from making a second call.
For those who don’t know how scammers communicate with unwary victims, I’ve put together a few scripts.
SCAM #1 – Sweepstakes
Scammer: Congratulations, Ms. Smith. I’m pleased to tell you that you won $250,000 from Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes.
Winner: I did? I can’t believe it. I’ve entered for years.
Scammer: Your persistence paid off. What will you do with the money?
Winner: This is so sudden, I’m not sure. Pay some bills and help my family, I guess. I always wanted to take one of those river cruises. But, wait a minute. How do I know this isn’t a scam? I’ll have to pay to get my money, won’t I?
Scammer: “Absolutely not. You don’t have to pay a thing. Here is a number you can call to check that we are legitimate. xxx-xxx-xxxx. (The phone is answered by someone in the scammer’s group. If the winner does not call the scammer back he will continue calling over the following months, reinforcing that the person is a winner and should claim the award before it goes away.)
Winner: This is very exciting. How do I get my check?
Scammer: “We’ll come to your house with balloons and flowers and hand you a large check that we use in publicity. You don’t mind if we take photos, do you? If you prefer to keep your award quiet we can honor your wish as well.
Winner: I’d prefer not to have any fanfare. I don’t want the neighborhood knowing I won a $250,000.
Scammer: That’s understandable. When is a good time to come by?
Winner: I’ll ask my husband when he’ll be home.
Scammer: No, don’t do that. This is for you alone. Let him be surprised when he discovers the amount in your bank account. Does Thursday next week work?
Winner: I’m free that day.
Scammer: Because $250,000 is such a large amount, we’ll accompany you to the bank to make sure the deposit goes through. After it is deposited, we do ask for a small amount ($8,000) to cover expenses for getting the money to you.
(The check is put on hold for four days before the bank contacts the winner to say it is fake. The winner remains responsible for funds paid to the scammer. When a Michigan Representative was recently asked to look into a scam a constituent’s elderly father fell for, the Rep’s answer was, “More than likely these are legitimate businesses and we are not interested in stopping good businesses.”)
Scam #2 – Social Security
Robocaller: Hello. This is a message from the Social Security office. Someone is using your social security number for suspicious activity. Call xxx-xxx-xxxx immediately immediately to speak to an agent in our office or you could be subject to arrest. Have the last four digits of you social security number ready.
SS Card holder follows through and is connected to a live person.
Scammer: Your name please, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Due to suspicious activity we are suspending your social security number and issuing a new card.
Card Holder: What? How can that be? I’ve had this card all my life and I’m going on 75.
Scammer: Congratulations for a long life, dear. Too bad this had to happen to you. Unfortunately identity theft is rampant and someone got ahold of your number. It is a good thing we caught the fraud, so you are not implicated. But, to be sure that I’m talking to the right person, please read off your full social security number.
Card Holder: Just a minute, I have to get it from my wallet.
Scammer: Now that I know it is you, I need to verify your address. A new card will cost $45. Will you be using VISA, Mastercard or American Express. Let me know when you are ready. I’ll read the number back.
Obtaining a credit card, social security number and address made the scammer’s call successful. It is good to remember that neither the social security office or IRS communicate through the phone.
To eliminate scams you might consider getting a robocall blocker if you haven’t already done so. Other suggestions are:
a) Never let a recorded stranger talk you into pressing 1 or to press 2, the do-not-call list. Don’t press anything.
b) Never provide legal businesses with written consent to contact you by phone.
c) Place your number on the FTC’s do-not-Call list and check out the FCC guide to robocalls.
d) Slow things down. Callers try to create a sense of urgency. Ask questions and don’t get rushed into a bad situation.
e) Spot check and look up the organization that’s calling you and get in touch directly.
f) Never send a payment on the spot.
February is a time to beware of romance scammers who build relationships slowly before submitting an urgent request for money. In 2019 over $200 million was lost to romance scams. Loneliness during the pandemic has made many people targets of their devious ways.
Have you been scammed? Though it may be embarrassing to admit to being a victim of fraud, your story will help others avoid falling into the same trap. Do share your experience on my blog site at eichingerfineart.com/blog
This method of extortion raises additional questions I plan to address in my next newsletter?
- Are more people out to defraud the public than ever before or does it just feel that way? Millions of people, especially the elderly, fall pray to a variety of devious schemes. Since they are bad for society, why do we let it continue? Why allow credit card and payday loan companies to charge usury fees for services that put millions of people so deeply in debt they will never escape from it.
- What makes people gullible to deception and who is most likely to become a victim of fraud?
Tune in next week to find out.
References
USAgov. site about Scams: https://www.usa.gov/common-scams-frauds
Bote, Joshua. (2019) Fraud, private jets and Lamborghini: 10 Televnangelists who have faced controversy. USA Today. retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/06/17/joel-osteen-kenneth-copeland-10-televangelists-trouble/1471926001/
website ( 2020) How to Deal with Hpe and Prayer center Ministry robocall. Do Not Pay. retrieved from https://donotpay.com/learn/hope-and-prayer-center-ministry-robocall/
Collins,G (2021) Arise, Robocall Resistance! New York Times. retrieved from
web site ( 2021) Scam Spotter. retrieved from https://www.scamspotter.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAyJOBBhDCARIsAJG2h5cnuuf6MVPjGbxy3pg-KsGe4hEyfhOFqKbbvwxow8x9nVyGsvHDpvgaAo_GEALw_wcB
Art is always for sale. Coming home is 16x 20 acrylic painting in silver frame available for $325. To make arrangements, contact me at marilynne@eichingerfineart.com.
