It’s easy to think that a scam won’t happen to you; often, we assume that the victims of a scam tend to be elderly folks who live alone or people who aren’t familiar with technology. The truth is everyone – regardless of background, age, income level or employment status – is vulnerable to a scam. In fact, scams and identity theft affect one in four households annually, costing a collective $50 billion.
This isn’t just a national problem, it’s a local one as well. According to results from BBB Scam Tracker, 288 reports of fraudulent activity were collected in the Greater Cincinnati area in 2017, with a total price tag of approximately $80,000 lost.
On average, the most reported scams – both in Cincinnati and across the United States – involved scam artists seeking important personal information. Whether they pretended to be with the bank, with the Social Security Administration, or with the IRS, scammers seek out specific details they needed to steal thousands.
Because this is becoming a widespread problem, the Cincinnati Police Department and BBB Cincinnati are teaming up to talk about what people can do to protect their personal details.
A Facebook Live event is planned for Nov. 8, featuring experts from the Cincinnati Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, and Pro Seniors to talk about what scams are affecting the community, how thieves are fooling victims and what resources are available for vulnerable groups that can help prevent scam activity.
Tune in to BBB Cincinnati’s Facebook page on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 11:30 a.m. for helpful advice from some of Cincinnati’s leading authorities on how to prevent scams and identity theft.
All are welcome to join, but media, law enforcement personnel, home health care providers and caregivers are invited to attend the panel in person for additional information. Please contact Sandra Guile at 513.639.9126
I found out the hard way today that theres a monthly fee of 3$ on visa gift cards..even though the one i received in dec 2017 doesnt expire until july 2020 its now no good 0$ balance..i cant believe they can do that..is theft! That card was bought and activation fee paid and still they can steel the balance if not used right away. How can this be legal?