The United States Attorney’s Office is working to educate the state’s eastern district about common scams targeting senior citizens, and representatives were in Tyler on Wednesday as part of the initiative.
Knowing how to recognize a scam is key to preventing these crimes, said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Secret Service agents gathered Wednesday morning at the Plaza Tower downtown to share some preventive tips that can help community members avoid falling victim to these types of scams.
“Although we prosecute dozens of scammers each year, there are hundreds, if not thousands more we never know about,” Featherston said. “Scammers are particularly skilled at tricking victims, often causing the victim to be embarrassed when they realize they have been duped and not report the crime. By educating our seniors we hope to spare them from this heartache. Preventing this crime is a lot easier than trying to investigate and get back the money.”
The presentation was given by Terry Gibson, Senior Special Agent for the U.S. Secret Service and Nathaniel Kummerfeld, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.
One of the first topics discussed was the Internet Crime Complaint Center or IC3, which is a division of the FBI concerning suspected criminal activity online. IC3 complaints are used to gather annual reports for financial losses, number of victims that were scammed, average loss per victim and other relevant metrics connected to frauds and scams.
Anyone who feels they or someone they know has been a victim of an internet crime can file a complaint with IC3. Those over 60 are considered victims of elder fraud.
Millions of elderly Americans are scammed each year by some type of financial fraud or internet scheme, according to IC3. Both Kummerfeld and Gibson said they believe it is important to educate the community on the subject.
Tyler is not immune to scams like this. Just last week, a South African man was convicted for stealing money and scamming a Tyler area church. Livingstone Zitha tricked church members into believing their money would help his “ministry” feed a child for one year, according to the Smith County District Attorney’s Office.
Bank records show the fraudulent minister, 52, spent the money on fast food, coffee, car washes and other personal expenses.
Church members testified they became suspicious of Zitha after he stayed with the church for two months and was having an increasingly hard time giving precise details about the ministry, county DA Jacob Putnam said in a news release Wednesday. But he was described as a “dynamic preacher” with a “captivating personality,” qualities that can help him persuade a victim into donating money.
This is not uncommon, Featherson said. Scammers usually are extremely skilled in communicating with their victims, leading them to believe their scheme is legitimate.
Gibson said some red flags for senior citizens to look out for include being asked to keep a conversation private, switching the conversation to a different communication platform, labeling the issue as immediate or urgent, and asking for different payment methods.
Wednesday’s presentation was one of many the U.S. Attorney’s Office is holding throughout the summer. In the last few months, similar programs were provided at a local Rotary Club and the Hamptons of Tyler. Groups or organizations that are interested in securing a speaker for their event should contact Division Chief Mary Ann Cozby at 903-590-1400.
Below are what Gibson said are the seven most common types of scam or elderly fraud and signs of each:
Romance/Friendship Scam
• The scammer sends a friend request or is a dating suggestion from a social media platform
• The scammer is involved in a hard luck story where he fakes being in need of help
• The scammer asks the victim to send money via wires, gift cards or Bitcoin.
• The scammer asks to keep the relationship secret
• The scammer asks for bank account information
Grandparent Scams
• Grandparents receive a fake message or call from any family member
• The family member appears to be in some kind of emergency or problem
• The scammer asks the grandparent to make a payment or to send money to help the family member
• The message or call is labeled as urgent by the family member
Government Impersonator Scams
• The scammer calls claiming to be a law enforcement agency
• The caller claims to be from a legitimate government agency
• The caller asks for a call back to a strange phone number
• The caller asks to make a payment via telephone line
Sweepstakes/Lottery Scam
• The scammer calls notifying the victim that a prize has been won
• The scammer asks for bank account information to deposit the money
Tech Support Scam
• The scammer has technology related ads on a website prompting the user to click on them
• The website asks the user for a phone number
• The scammer calls asking to fix a computer or software problem
• The call comes from someone impersonating a company
• The caller will ask for a payment method (credit card, debit card, bank transfer)
Investment Scam
• Can be either telephone, online or in person
• Offers products suitable for the victims age
• Typically involves loss or theft of bank account funds
• The scammer states the need of quick action
Family/Caregiver Exploitation Scam
• 85.5% of elder abuse scams come from family members
• The scammer uses different scamming methods such as unauthorized use of ATM, fraudulent checks, property theft and improper use of power of attorney or guardianship
• Possible signs include unexplained movement of assets, a relative claiming assets after a decline in the elder’s health
Preventive Actions
• Keep computer antivirus up to date
• Be cautious of online products or investment offerings
• Do not open emails and attachments coming from unknown senders
• Never give personal or financial information
• Read and monitor bank statements frequently
• Stop the conversation with a scammer once started
Both Gibson and Kummerfeld encouraged those who feel they have been scammed to file a report with the Federal Trade Commissions at (877)-382-4357.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, you can also call the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps.
Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis.
The hotline is staffed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
