Scams target all ages, report warns

By Karl Henkel

khenkel@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Fake check scams are growing, diversifying and affecting people of all ages.

According to a report issued Tuesday, various demographics are being targeted with numerous shams, most notably, those age 18 to 30, who are falling victim to phony work-at-home propositions.

The report was issued by the Consumer Federation of America and the National Consumers League.

“In difficult economic times, many consumers are on the lookout for creative ways to make ends meet, such as home-based business opportunities,” said John Breyault, director of the National Consumers League’s Fraud Center. “Others may be desperate enough to let their guard down and be tempted by offers they wouldn’t otherwise consider.”

In work-at-home scenarios, consumers are hired as account managers or “mystery shoppers” and asked to process payments for a company. They primarily are contacted through email, said Susan Grant, director of consumer protection for the CFA.

She said email, combined with the Internet, was the main preference for contacting a potential victim. Nearly 60 percent of all scams originated through email or the Internet in 2010.

Though Generation Y is a target of scams involving work, the elderly still are targets of sweepstakes or lottery frauds.

In this scenario, individuals receive notices that they have won millions of dollars and can acquire the money only by paying taxes or administrative fees.

Melissa Ames, director of marketing and public relations for the Better Business Bureau of Mahoning Valley, said scams in the area a few years ago predominantly targeted the elderly, but now the office fields complaints from all age groups.

“Our office receives calls every day,” Ames said. “It’s something [in which] we’ve seen quite a progression, especially with sweepstakes and lottery scams.”

Ames said in one recent instance, a high school student received an unsolicited $5,000 check in the mail, and luckily, his parents took the correct course of action by destroying it.

It’s not the first time residents have been warned of scams in the Valley.

In April, Newton Falls police received numerous complaints about potential money scams, typically involving the elderly and the use of Western Union to send money.

Last month, the Home Builders/Remodelers Association of Mahoning Valley warned against nomadic roof and siding contractors performing subpar work or receiving money for work they did not perform.

Ames said it’s important for citizens to understand and research a potential windfall.

“The best prevention is education,” she said. “That’s really the only way this information gets out.”