PHOENIX, Arizona. – According to the Phoenix FBI, the most common fraud is romance, but family members are also stealing them, so the agency gives some security recommendations to prevent you or any of your loved ones from becoming a victim of scammers.
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“Elder fraud is defined as a financial fraud scheme that aims to or disproportionately affects people over 60 years of age ”, reads a Phoenix FBI press release.
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According to IC3, these are the top 5 crimes, targeting Arizona seniors:
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- Non-payment / non-delivery
- Personal data breach (Data Breach)
- Terrorism / Threats of violence
- Identity theft
- Extortion
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The FBI has the following tips to protect yourself and your older adults:
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- First research the organization or company that is asking you for donations.
- Remember that government offices will never ask for payments over the phone.
- Avoid opening emails or text messages from people or numbers you don’t recognize.
- Beware of IRS Imposter Scams – Scammers tell you you have to pay taxes.
- Beware of sweepstakes scams; Scammers tell you that you won the lottery and you have to pay taxes before collecting your winnings.
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Who can I contact if I think I have been the victim of a scam?
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If you or a family member is the victim of a scam, you can call (623) 466-1999 or send a tip here to the FBI website provided for this purpose or go to the ic3.gov site.
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- Scammer and / or company names
- Contact dates
- Communication methods
- Telephone numbers, email addresses, postal addresses, and websites used by the perpetrator
- Payment Methods
- Where you sent funds, including bank transfers and prepaid cards.
- Descriptions of your interactions with the scammer and the instructions they gave you.
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