The Four Signs of a Scam, and Who to Call

The details of scams change every few months. The pattern underneath does not. The Federal Trade Commission describes four signs, and nearly every fraud aimed at older adults shows at least two of them.

The four signs

1. They pretend to be from an organisation you know. A government agency, your bank, a utility, a well-known technology company.
2. They say there is a problem or a prize. You owe money, your account is compromised, a relative is in trouble, or you have won something.
3. They pressure you to act immediately. You are told not to hang up, not to tell anyone, and that there is no time to check.
4. They tell you to pay in a specific way. Gift cards, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, a payment app, or cash handed to a courier.

The Commission's own explanation is in How to Avoid a Scam.

What to do in the moment

• Stop. A real organisation will still be there in an hour.
• Hang up and call back on a number you find yourself, from a statement or the back of your card.
• Tell someone you trust before sending any money. Scammers work hard to keep you from doing this.

Who to call

• AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. It offers guidance and support, and you do not need to be a member. Details are on AARP's helpline page.
• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reports help investigators spot patterns.
• Your bank or card issuer, straight away, if money has already moved. The sooner they know, the better the chance of stopping it.

If it has already happened

Being taken in is common and is not a sign of declining judgement. These operations are run by professionals. Reporting quickly matters far more than working out how it happened.

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