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An imposter scam alert is a necessity these days because of the steady increase in the number and types of fraudulent activity that is reported. Each day, unsuspecting victims have their identity or money snatched before they are even aware that they have given personal information or cash to a not-so-great pretender. These criminals are successful at fooling so many people because they are astute at imitating legitimate businesses or people.
One reason that fraudsters have a high rate of success is because they are able to rush people into making decisions. Scammers usually run a con so fast that the victim doesn’t have time to think or ask questions. However, it is possible to reduce the chances of becoming a victim to an imposter scam with advance knowledge about how they work.
Imposters count on the element of surprise to make their ruse successful. They assume that victims will not be suspicious, especially if they pretend to be a friend or relative in need of help. In general, the average person has to always assume that any request for money or information from an unknown person is a potential scam. It is not possible to be too cautious since scammers use such a variety of scenarios to trick people.
In some of the most common imposter scams, the caller claims:
There’s no end to the devious means criminals employ to snare victims, which is why suspicion should be the first reaction to an unsolicited call. It is imperative that the person or so-called company is immediately verified if they ask for money or information. That means – get off the phone or close the email and confirm the validity of the information. It is always better to be cautious than put finances or information at risk.
Fraudulent criminal activity impacts every citizen on the planet in some way or another. Imposters usually target vulnerable people like the elderly, disabled or young. However, anyone can and has been a victim or intended victim. And those that have not been directly scammed are affected by these crimes in the form of higher insurance rates, loss of trust and peace of mind, in addition to other consequences.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a U.S. government consumer protection agency. Every year, the agency reports scams spotted by individuals and businesses during the previous year.
In 2018, the FTC received 3 million reports of fraud activity.
Identity theft, debt collection fraud, and imposter scams were the top crimes in the report, which included:
This small sampling of data reflects the alarming numbers of imposter fraud and scams reported around the globe. Despite that being said, this activity cannot go unchallenged. Is it possible to eliminate all imposter fraud in all its forms? Probably not all scams, but the numbers should inspire a surge to fight back to the extent possible.
Criminals invest tons of time and energy honing their deceitful tactics. Even so, it is not healthy to become obsessed with fear about imposter scams. One way to strike a balance between the two is be aware of the signs of a possible scam. Some warning signs are:
Any request for money and information should be verified before sending one dime. If the caller balks at waiting until the company or individual is called, it is a scam. Yes, it is prudent to stay alert, but the possibility of being fooled by imposters still remains. If it does happen, the only recourse is to learn what steps to take to report the incident.
There are certain steps that should be taken immediately after an imposter scam is discovered. Once these steps are completed, the victim can let other people know what happened so they too can be on the lookout. But first, it is imperative to complete the following:
People posing as a reputable business, the government, or a family member are a danger to society. Reporting a scam operation could save someone else from financial disaster or even worse. In the United States, reports can be made to the Federal Trade Commission, the local police, and the actual company the scammer was impersonating.
One place to report scams in Canada is the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. This organization works with law enforcement agencies to make connections in fraud cases that may be related. Canadians should also make a report with their local police department to get the incident on the record.
The majority of people in the world are law-abiding citizens who live life without causing harm to others. It is this community of people who will remain vigilant and spread the word about fraudsters and their tricks to others. As many more scams and the criminals behind them are exposed, it is the imposters who will need to be on alert.
