Had a referral today from a new customer (not existing) that got scammed out of over $30k in money from an account. These scams tend to follow some of these demographics:
* The tend to target the elderly and retired folks. These folks have cash on hand (living off savings and investments) and if they grew up pre 80's probably have fewer tech talents than most. They also tend to be more trusting of third parties.
* They start with something simple - your account is compromised, you have an issue with paypal, your antivirus expired, you have a virus. They might get this notice via a pop-up on their screen (from a website, or notification), an email, a text or a phone call.
* Once they are hooked in they get passed off to an expert scammer in a call center. The path from there just depends on what the scammer can get them to do. The scammer will attempt to get anything from their personal info (send us a scan of your drivers license, social security card, etc), to their bank account number, credit card number, debit card info, etc.
They will claim to have "over refunded you" $ and they can take the money back out (or you can wire it to them, etc). Or that you have money owed to you that they just need to transfer into your account. Or that they are representing a relative or friend that needs help or cash. They prey on the persons credibility and discomfort with today's modern world of technology. They can be VERY convincing and pressure the person into making decisions more quickly than they normally would.
I doubt anyone who might be a victim of this type of scam will see this - they don't tend to be on LinkedIn any more being retired. But I bet that a friend, relative, or parent YOU know might be in this demographic. Sit down and talk to them. Offer to be the "second sight" on anything they get from invoices online to calls or texts. Encourage them to independently check everything. And talk to them about how these scams go so that they don't fall victim. If they are of declining mental ability, work with them to be sure that any money transactions only occur with your approval, or with the approval of a financial fiduciary expert who can help them avoid it.
Software Architect - Designing for the Ages, One Challenge at a Time.
3yThat picture brings back fond memories.