The holidays are the busiest time of the year for many people, including scammers.
Oregonians lost $136 million to holiday shopping scams last year, according to a new study. Although older people tend to lose higher dollar amounts to a scam, the Federal Trade Commission said scammers steal from young adults more often.
Carmel Perez Snyder, associate state director of AARP Oregon, said the most common cons this year revolve around online shopping, charities and gift cards. She acknowledged victims of scams can feel embarrassed but they should never be blamed for falling for a trap.
“A scam is just like somebody being held at gunpoint,” Snyder explained. “They are robbed by very professional people who are very good at what they do.”
Snyder pointed out crypto scams have been big this year, in which the victim is led through a series of steps, ending with all their money converted to cryptocurrency. Once the money has been converted, Snyder said, there is no way to trace it or get it back.
The best way to avoid scams, Snyder emphasized, is to never give personal information to anyone over the phone. If they claim they’re from the IRS or your bank, hang up and call the agency or business to confirm. Snyder added if their request comes with a threat — that you’re going to be arrested or you need to keep something a secret — it’s a scam. The goal is to play on people’s emotions so they aren’t thinking clearly and are more likely to follow nefarious instructions.
“They get them that way by making them scared, having a sense of urgency, making them think ‘this great deal is going to go away tomorrow,’” Snyder outlined.
Snyder stressed if you suspect a scam, it is important to report it. You can call the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline or the Federal Trade Commission and your local police. Even if they cannot do much about it, it is critical they are able to track the scams going on in the community.
Isobel Charle, Oregon News Service