Most Americans have experienced an online scam or digital fraud incident. That’s right, most. According to Pew Research, more than 7 out of every 10 people in this country have been victimized by credit card fraud, ransomware, online shopping scams or some other form of con artistry.
Things are likely to get worse before they get better. Now, with the advent and easy access to AI-tools, criminals are spoofing people’s voices—sometimes even their faces—to fool people into sending them money, passwords and other sensitive information. These so-called impersonation scams became the top reported scam in recent months, with a 148% year-over-year increase.
Even with the rise in commonality, falling for a scam continues to be an embarrassing moment for many people. So much so, they suffer in silence, failing to ask for help or report the incident to law enforcement.
Many people assume that falling for a scam means they were careless or naïve, and older adults often worry it marks them as “tech illiterate.” In truth, today’s scams are highly sophisticated, relying on proven psychological tactics, such as urgency or fear.
Not reporting an incident feeds the idea that scams don’t happen to astute, cyber-aware people. This makes the next victim feel even more isolated and ashamed.
If you find yourself a victim of a scam, don’t keep it to yourself. Rather, report it to as many relevant entities as you can. For instance:
Quick reporting is likely to limit your damage. It may also help stop others from falling into the same trap. It could even help you from getting snared in another con. Sixty-nine percent of people who have been scammed report being victimized multiple times.
Today’s scams are engineered to deceive anyone, but especially high-profile, high-performing and wealthy individuals. Smart, cautious and tech-savvy people are targeted and tricked every day. But each time a scam is reported, a victim becomes an ally, and our collective defense grows stronger.
You can find additional resources about fraud protection and Bank Iowa’s identity theft services here.