Scam artists using a text message to convince an elderly Jacksonville woman there was a problem with her finances were able to drain her bank account of more than $100,000.
By the time police became involved Tuesday, the woman told authorities, she had followed the fraudsters’ instructions to convert money from her account into Bitcoin and send it to them.
They were able to get about $102,000 over a three-day period, she told police.
Authorities are investigating, but also are fighting against a growing tide of savvy scams boosted by technology that give the appearance of legitimacy.
Simply put: The crooks are getting smarter.
In the first six months of last year, a record $3.56 billion was lost just to online fraud nationwide, according to the Federal Trade Commission. That was almost 50% higher than the same period in 2021.
Many of the scams targeted those 60 and older. They reported losses of $1.7 billion in 2021 — 74% more than the year prior, according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center’s Elder Fraud Report.
About $50 million was taken from Illinois residents, the report said.
The Jacksonville woman had received a text “she believed was from her banking institution’s technical support,” Sgt. Doug Klendworth said.
Such text messages, emails or phone calls often use a sense of urgency to get people to react quickly so there isn’t a chance to think about whether it is real.
“We’ve had calls of this nature before, people saying, ‘They’re asking me to send money through a third entity or go to a bank’ … or send cards,” Klendworth said. “We tell [people] not to give out any information at all before you contact your bank. Don’t give them your ID, don’t give them your Social Security number. Contact your bank, or contact us.”
As con games become more sophisticated and the elderly population grows, Illinois has dedicated more resources to preventing and investigating such crimes.
“Far too often, scam artists perceive senior citizens as vulnerable and relatively wealthy due to their ability to access retirement accounts and pensions. As a result, seniors are a frequent target of a wide range of consumer fraud scams,” according to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
The attorney general’s office takes part in a number of state and national programs, and also provides a senior citizens consumer fraud hotline, 1-800-243-5377.
Depending on the circumstances, local, state and federal authorities may investigate scams.
“In addition to our commitment to investigating financial fraud schemes against the elderly, FBI Springfield is dedicated to prevention efforts,” according to,” Springfield FBI office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “Efforts to increase awareness of the crime and educate not only the elderly, but also their family members, about the dangers of elder fraud and how to avoid becoming a victim goes a long way in protecting our seniors.”
The FBI has an elder fraud hotline — 833-372-8311 — that offers resources and can help with filing complaints. Those who are victims or are concerned a senior is being scammed also can call the FBI’s Springfield office at 217-522-9675 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov/.
Staying safe
The FBI Springfield office offers suggestions that may help prevent falling victim to a scam:
- Shred credit card receipts and old bank statements.
- Close unused credit card or bank accounts.
- Don’t give out personal information via the phone, mail or internet unless you initiated the contact.
- Never respond to an offer you don’t understand.
- Talk over investments with a trusted friend, family member or financial adviser.
- Require all plans and purchases to be in writing.
- Don’t pay in advance for services.
- Don’t pay for services via prepaid gift cards or cryptocurrency. Legitimate services will not request payment via prepaid gift cards or cryptocurrency.
- Resist the urge to act quickly or secretly, which are frequent tactics used by scammers.
The Federal Trade Commission cautions clicking on links in unsolicited text messages or emails, no matter how legitimate it might seem.
“It’s important to remember that scammers will go to any length to make their message seem real,” according to Rosario Méndez, an attorney in the commission’s Division of Consumer and Business Education. “Not all scammers have bad grammar or spelling — but it’s a good tip-off to a scam when you see them. Do not click on any links. Clicking could expose you to scams, download malware, or get your phone number added to lists that are then sold to other bad actors.”
Instead, Méndez recommends, delete the message immediately.
Common cons
New cons and updated twists on old favorites are emerging almost every day.
But some of the most common involving the elderly, according to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois Rachelle Aud Crowe, include:
Grandparents scams. Fraudsters impersonate seniors’ grandchildren or some other loved one and try to convince the senior they need funds immediately, usually for some type of medical or legal emergency.
Romance scams. Scammers meet seniors online, usually through dating sites, pretend to fall in love with them, and then persuade the senior to send them money.
Tax scams. Con artists falsely tell seniors they owe back taxes and must make immediate payments, often threatening arrest.
Lottery scams. Fraudsters try to convince seniors they have won the lottery or some other type of prize, but first need to send money for taxes or fees.
The National Council on Aging says it is seeing a rise in government impersonation scams in which the con artist is able to “spoof” the phone number of a legitimate agency and calling ZIP code.
Others on the council’s radar:
- Robocall and phone or text scams
- Computer tech support scams
- COVID-19 scams
- Investment scams
- Medicare and health insurance scams
