Next in our Cybercrime Against Seniors blog series, we're going to explore Phone Scams. One of the most common way seniors are targeted by criminals is through phone scams. Common tricks include technology support scams, fake trip or lottery scams - or pretending to be a grandchild or loved one in need of money for an emergency.
A couple of characteristics in a potential scam situation should always throw up red flags for anyone, no matter the age:
(1) a sense of urgency in the caller's message - "we need payment asap to remedy this situation" and
(2) a request to use a gift card to provide payment to help remedy the situation. Gift cards are notoriously hard to track, as is bitcoin - or any other online currency - so cyber criminals often specifically request those types of payment.
Visit AARP's tip page on Phone Scams for more great info. Read yesterday's blog, "Cybercrime Against Seniors: 3 Not So Fun Facts"
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