I am positive that you or someone you know has experienced a scam. No matter which technique was used, the resulting behavior is known as an “amygdala hijack.” The brain’s fear and threat response center, the amygdala, was triggered by criminals to elicit strong emotional reactions that overwhelm the rational part of our brains. We act rather than think, a classic fight-or-flight response.
Out of Character
I remember reading a couple of years ago about a woman, a retired attorney, who lost her entire life savings to a fraudster that supposedly called from her bank. I personally know family and clients who were terrified into behavior that didn’t even sound like them.
One drove to the bank with the scammer on the phone, in her ear the entire drive, until the teller at the bank convinced her to hang up. Another stayed on the phone in front of her computer with a scammer for three hours until a family member came home and made her hang up the phone.
Locked Out
It’s that over-simplification that I always visualize as having two “rooms” in the brain with a door between. And when the emotional side fills up with strong emotions, it shuts the door on the logical side. So the brain physiologically can no longer think clearly. Acting rationally is out the window!
Much Worse
Over 100,000 U.S. victims aged 60 and older reported fraud to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2023. And those are just the ones who reported it. So many don’t report their experience and are often too embarrassed to tell anyone. The true scope of just how many are affected is likely much worse.
Tech Support Is the Most Popular Scam
With 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day, these illegal call centers continue to perfect their “skills” on an ever-aging population. Tech support scams are the most widely reported type of elder fraud. We have all had those threatening emails or even popups on our computer screen warning of a threat that requires immediate action by calling a phone number.
Some of those screen pop-ups can be down right scary! Some blink, others make a blaring noise, and others talk in urgent tones warning you not to shut down and instead to call this number or all three of those techniques all at once! I’m not a techie but the simple Alt + F4 keyboard combination may close the window. Another one, Ctrl + Alt + Del, opens up the computer’s Task Manager. From there you can Select your browser (Google, Edge, etc.) then click on End Task. This seems to do the trick for me.
What to Say
I encourage clients and aging parents to decide which phrase they will use if they ever feel pressured (on the phone, at the door, etc.):
- “I don’t do anything without first talking to my son/daughter/advisor.” Click (hang up or shut the door).
- “I’m not interested so please take me off your list and don’t contact me again.” Click.
- Any sentence that you and your family have agreed is the safest reply for you. Click.
Best Practices
I find it sad that we almost have to become paranoid and assume the worst about phone calls, texts, and emails. And asking ourselves “is this really true?” is often a healthy way to pause yourself before doing anything. To avoid any of these scary situations, perhaps the best practice is:
- NOT to click on links within an email.
- NOT to call the number in an email or text.
- NOT to even answer the phone unless it is identified from your Contacts (remember, if it’s important, they will leave you a message and you can call them back).
Ambulance Chasers
And remember the “ambulance chaser” concept. Scammers can follow obituaries, purchase contacts from illegal sources, and target single women specifically. Losing a spouse, through death or divorce, is an emotionally vulnerable time, and unfortunately, it’s a period when scammers often strike. Widows are frequently targeted with deceptive phone calls, emails, or offers that seem helpful but are designed to steal personal information or money.
Arm Yourself with Education
Stay aware, learn about the recent scams in your area, and seek out blogs, podcasts, and other educational opportunities to help you stay informed about money in general and be vigil in avoiding scammers. Protecting your financial well-being is one more way to take control of your future.
Also read, Common Scams Targeting Seniors and How to Avoid Them.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Have you learned anything about scams that would help other women to know? How do you protect yourself from con-artists? How can we help each other? Let’s have a discussion!
