Scammers are dishonest evil doers who use trickery to steal innocent people’s money, personal information, and other assets. They use sly tactics to fool victims into paying them money or sharing personal information such as bank accounts and social security numbers. By the time a victim realizes they’ve been scammed, it is often too late. Nevertheless, scams involving losses of money or identities should be reported to the proper authorities. Defend yourself by knowing how to spot and stop scammers cold (see our list below).
Targets & Victims
The above terms are used to describe the innocent people who get scammed. Targets describe people who are the aims of scams and those who are disproportionately affected by scams. Victims are individuals who fall prey to fraudulent schemes and have lost money or personal information.
Who is susceptible?
All people are susceptible to scams, meaning that scams can happen to anyone. However, scammers tend to take advantage of special groups of people facing vulnerabilities, including youth, lonely individuals, empathetic folks, and the elderly. Per FBI(.gov) each year millions of elderly Americans fall victim to some type of financial fraud or confidence scheme. Note that many scams use trickery, scare tactics, and sense of urgency to push victims into action. If you sense that someone is a scammer – immediately discontinue contact. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Common scams that target older people:
Government impersonation scams: This involves fraudsters posing as representatives of government agencies to trick people into providing money or sensitive information.
Grandparent Scams: Fraud in which scammers pretend to be a grandchild or another close relative in need of urgent help.
Lottery & Sweepstake Scams: This fraud involves the winning of prizes such as the lottery or a sweepstake. For example, people are falsely told they won money but are then instructed (by the scammer) to pay upfront.
Romance Schemes: Known as “catfishing,” this scam creates fake online identities to gain affection and trust. They often involve dating sites or social media platforms.
Spoofing and Phishing: These schemes are aimed at tricking people into providing sensitive information – like passwords or bank PIN – to scammers.
- Spoofing is a type of cyber attack where malicious actors disguise their identities as trusted sources and pretend to represent a person, organization or website.
- Phishing is the practice of sending mass emails or other messages purporting to be someone they are not.
Tech support scams: Criminals pose as tech support representatives and “offer” to fix non-existent issues to gain access to money or sensitive info.
Elderly targets
Scammers target elderly people due to vulnerabilities like loneliness and isolation or declines in memory and judgment. Plus, many have an accumulated lifesavings and own homes which makes them appealing to scammers.
Help yourself
The best way to prevent scams is to stay on guard, recognize and avoid contact with scammers, and report suspicious behavior to the proper channels.
- Guarding against scams entails a multi-prong approach to include awareness, digital hygiene, and prompt action when facing threats. This means knowing what scams are out there, avoiding contact with unfamiliar or suspicious companies, and securing accounts and devices to stay safe.
- Scammers use a variety of tactics to lure victims. For example, they may use social engineering, impersonation, or other fraudulent schemes to gain a victim’s trust. Scammers typically zero-in on good-natured and trusting individuals who are isolated, such as an elderly person living alone or a young person who lacks life experience. To maximize protection, learn to spot scams and avoid contact with scammers.
- Many people resist reporting scams for a variety of reasons. Holding back may stem from a combination of psychological, social, and practical factors. Shame and embarrassment, fear of judgment, self-blame, and social stigma are frequently cited as reasons why people who are swindled hesitate or fail to report scams. These negative excuses must be dismissed. Scammers typically exploit emotions, build trust, and influence victims to gain support. Plus, they are convincing.
- A survey conducted by UK-based Lloyds Banking Group found that 69% of victims reported a negative impact on their mental health, with 36% becoming less trusting of online platforms, 29% reported themselves as becoming more skeptical of people in their lives, and 20% feeling more anxious as a result of their experience.
- People being scammed should stop feeling embarrassed and take steps to report bad actors. If anyone deserves the blame, it’s the scammer – not the victim.
Stop the victim blame game
The societal tendency to blame scams on victims is detrimental. For instance, scolding a person who gets scammed is unacceptable. Not only does it make them feel terrible, but it also discourages individuals from seeking help or reporting crimes. Understand that scams can be convincing and sophisticated. People who are scammed require community support, not shame or humiliation. Scam victims should be encouraged to come forward and report scams promptly, especially if they fear personal safety or experience financial loss or identity theft. Read on to learn of a new scam that’s gaining momentum.
Staying educated
This requires knowing the latest scams. Here’s an example of a current widespread scam involving an official looking text that appears to be from a state’s DMV office. Though the wording may vary slightly, the message is coming from a scammer.
Scam text example:
New Jersey Department of
Vehicles (DMV) Final Notice:
Enforcement Penalties: Begin on
July 27.
Our records show that as of
Today, you still have an
outstanding traffic ticket. In
accordance with New Jersey
Code 15C-16.003, If you do not
complete payment by July 26,
2025, we will take the following
Actions:
- Report to the DMV violation database
- Suspend your vehicle registration starting July 27
- Suspend driving privileges for 30 days
- Transfer to a tool booth and charge a 35% service fee
- You may be prosecuted, and your credit score will be affected
Pay Now: (fake link)
Please pay immediately before enforcement to avoid license suspension and further legal disputes. (Reply Y to re-open this message to click on the link, or copy it to your browser)
Don’t engage with scammers
If you get a message of this nature – it’s a scam. Simply report and delete the message. Do NOT click on the links that will take you to the scammer. Also, do NOT copy it to your browser even if you are curious. Doing so could potentially download malware or viruses onto your computer, redirect you to a spoofed website, prompt phishing or social engineering attacks, facilitate hijackings or data exfiltration and more. BE WISE, BE SAFE, AND SIMPLY REPORT AND DELETE THE MESSAGE.
Pay attention
Don’t automatically assume messages or emails are authentic. In the above example, the message appears convincing by using an “official code.” First, codes are frequently (and sometimes incorrectly) cited in scams. These notices attempt to sound official to trick people.Second, note that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) doesn’t send random/unsolicited text messages to customers, nor do they send bills or collect payments via text. It’s safe to assume that messages of this nature are scams. Third, DMV doesn’t make threats. Learn more about nationwide DMV scams targeting consumers.
Be vigilant
Should you receive a text message of this nature, avoid engaging with the scammer. Simply report and delete the message. If you are concerned that you really owe something, contact your state’s DMV directly using their official number that you independently researched. Never use contact info sent by a potential scammer.
Hard to spot
The reality is that in life scams are hard to spot. Many scam invoices or documents are made to look legitimate or appear trustworthy to trick victims. It’s up to good people to be on the lookout for scams and report them using proper channels. Note that scams often involve pressuring victims to “Pay now” or incur fines, license suspension, or prosecution. These “fear tactics” are used by scammers seeking to steal money or identities. Legitimate companies typically do not randomly contact people, make threats, or pressure victims to pay. Without doubt, those are red flags of scams.
How to report scams
Victims of scams who have lost funds, faced identity theft, or be threatened should promptly report the scam to the local police by visiting the station or calling the non-emergency number to file a report. If a person is in immediate danger, dial 9-1-1. Here are more useful resources to report scams:
https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ – The Federal Trade Commission’s or FTC’s Complaint Center for the reporting of fraud, scams, and bad business practices
https://www.ic3.gov/ – The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center where folks can report cyber-enabled crimes and other online scams
https://www.identitytheft.gov/ – A division of the FTC for reporting identity theft and creating a recovery plan
https://ehome.uspis.gov/fcsexternal/default.aspx – U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s mail fraud reporting site
https://www.tigta.gov/reportcrime-misconduct – The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report impersonation of IRS officials or other false claims related to the IRS or tax matters
https://www.irs.gov/help/tax-scams – To report a tax scam or fraud to the IRS
Break the stigma – Know that reporting scams is necessary – not only for oneself – but also stops scams from happening to others.
Disclosure: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice.
Thanks to the Desperate Democrats America has become a country where it’s so hard to trust anyone anymore. Sadly PROPAGANDA is calling out President Trump for everything and anything President Trump is not responsible for.
Praise for you for writing this important article D.J. ! Well Done ! Those who perpetrate these scams are evil doers for sure. They are despicable in fact. Nothing minor about this kind of crime – one thing can and often does lead to another and someone’s life could become very complicated by being a victim of a scam. Those of us who value the qualities that make for good character, have a sense of purpose, and live by a code of conduct and have Faith in God have a responsibility to rid this society of scams as much as possible. This article is a great reference for doing what is needed to achieve that goal.
Delete unknown text & ph numbers if not in Contact files
I get many of these stupid calls per day. I either don’t answer, pick up and hang up or will say hello but NEVER will I answer yes to anything they ask. I may be old but I’m not stupid.
First, what happened to the do not call registry? Laws are too soft, that’s why these crimes are growing. I never answer an unknown caller, if they’re legit, maybe they will leave a message, but even if they do you don’t have to respond. It’s the same for texting or emails, nothing is urgent especially if you don’t know for sure who’s phishing. Never give out information, it’s an invitation to empty your bank account or rack up unauthorized charges to your credit cards. Get trusted help before responding to anything.
All the comments about “How I made money”, most are scammers from the country of Nigeria. They have been doing it for years by internet, phones, letters, etc. It is a shame that older folks still fall for these scammers and lose their savings.
This article was very helpful and provides useful information, such as the FTC fraud link and other links to report fraud scams. Maybe this will help stop the frauds.
Very useful information!
Our government can track cattle and locate the first one with a case of mad cow disease but they can’t track and stop these scammers. Why?
A few years ago I got a letter from Equifax telling me my personal information had been breeched, along with others. In a letter dated August 26, 2025, TransUnion tells me that a cyber incident involving unauthorized access to some of my personal information (social security number and DOB) had been breeched (stolen). Why aren’t we holding these companies accountable??? And, we’re expected to happy about digital currency??? What happens when all senior citizens money is stolen??? There’s no getting it back, when it’s gone it’s gone for good, it’ll be untraceable.???? Why aren’t all senior citizens up in arms about this? I’m on my fourth credit card, my numbers have been stolen three different times!
Death to all Scam Sucking Dogs!