Advice For Dealing With Tricky Scammers

“It is always important to ask questions. Don’t immediately assume that the person on the other line is valid, especially if they are threatening you or if they are telling you to send money now or you are going to go to jail.”

The Observer obtained this advice from Jina Ragland, associate state director of advocacy and outreach for AARP Nebraska.

Ragland continued, “The most important thing is to ask for a call back number, and when you call that number back, you can always verify whether or not that is a true person or an imposter.”

In 2020, the Nebraska Unicameral passed a law that allows financial institutions to place a 30 day hold on a transaction if they feel that a customer is a victim of financial exploitation.

According to Ragland, in March of 2021, the Unicameral “closed the loophole with LB 297. This most recent bill closes the circle because it is for broker and investment advisers. It is a great bill. It will help a lot of people.” Both these laws focus on stopping scams that target older and vulnerable Nebraskans.

The Federal Trade Commission says there are signs that indicate fraud or scam. One indication is that the scammers pretend to be from familiar organizations, such as IRS, Social Security, a company, or even a charity.

Another sign of a scam is there is a problem or a prize. They might say that you owe money, or there is a family emergency, a computer virus, or you won a lottery – and you have to pay a fee. Scammers pressure you to act immediately – or you will be deported or arrested or lose your prize. Finally, scammers want money. They insist on you sending money through a money transfer or gift card.

Scammer have lots of tricks, another unique method is for the scammer to send a check, tell you to deposit it and then send them the money. But the original check is fake.

Using local phone numbers, Jina Ragland told the Observer that a new Social Security scam is making the rounds in Nebraska. Scammers are telling people that they have to pay a certain amount or they are going to jail. The scammers want financial information so they can make a transfer to keep you out of jail.

Ragland encouraged people to “take a pause, call your financial adviser, call the police to ask them. Call your bank, don’t panic.”

Most importantly, step back and get a phone number

Common scams or fraud which Ragland provided information about include the romance scam, grandparents scam, debt collections scams, sweepstakes and lottery scams.

Looking for love? Then scammers are looking for you. They have various methods to groom their online “significant other” with medical problems or business crises and ask for gift cards, prepaid debit cards or wire transfers. Scammers use dating apps, Facebook, Instagram, or other social media to look for a “relationship.”

Many people have been warned about the grandparent scams. It includes a crook pretending to be a grandchild, an attorney, bail bondsman or a niece or nephew. The Federal Trade Commissioner reports there were 20,234 “Scams: Family Members and Friends” in 2019, which were documented. Many times the fraud or scam are not reported. Crooks dig through Facebook or other online information to find friends and family members.

Another common scam is debt collections. These are very aggressive fake debt collectors using bullying tactics to try to get their targets to pay.

In recent months, puppy buying has reached an all time high according to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office leading to puppy scams. The Office encourages people to do their homework and research the breeder. Watch for stock images and sketchy payments such as insurance or climate controlled crates.

Scammers are after your hard-earned cash and will do anything to get it. They are clever, creative and very pushy.

Remember: Don’t panic. Rather, pause, get a call back number, and do some research.