Nowadays, it feels like you can’t open up your social media, check your email or even answer the phone without the looming suspicion that whoever is at the other end of it could be scamming you. And sometimes by the time we realize we are being scammed, it is too late.
Klamath County is certainly not immune to the scamming game. In fact, there have been numerous scams reported in the county over the past few years, with the number of reported scams only rising. The sad part is, the scams that are actually reported only make up about 25% of the total scams that are actually happening. Why? The short answer is shame.
A lot of people who have been scammed often feel an overwhelming sense of shame. Two thirds of scam victims reported having severe anxiety, depression, suicidal feelings and ultimately feared telling their families due to feeling ashamed of themselves or not feeling like they were smart enough to spot the scam.
So who is being targeted? Michelle Scott from HomePath Program, a direct service of Klamath Housing Authority, shared that according to the Department of Justice, surprisingly Gen Z & the Millennial generations are proven to be the targeted audiences. “They are the ones who are on the internet more, they are the ones who are connected to all of the social media platforms more,” Scott said. She continued to go on and say that the elderly are being scammed for more money, the amount is higher that scammers are getting out of them, however the Gen Z and Millennial generations are targeted far more.
The scams and scammers have evolved right along with the times, making it increasingly more difficult to spot them. From identity theft to real estate scams, nothing seems to be off limits.
Randy Shaw at Coldwell Banker shared a scam that has been happening in the real estate industry where scammers will pull information about houses for sale from real estate websites, such as Zillow, and post that same info on websites like Craigslist as a house for rent. The scammers will even go as far as changing the locks on the house. Once someone sees the house on Craigslist, they reach out to the scammers, meet up, and hand over first and last month’s rent as well as a security deposit and believe they are rightfully renting the home. Unfortunately, then the homeowner or the selling agent finds out and those good people were scammed out of a place to live and out thousands of dollars that they probably will never see again.
As far as navigating these real estate scams, Shaw suggests doing your research. He insists that if you are looking for a place to live, google the address, call the real estate company and ask questions.
This is not the only scam that is occurring in Klamath County. Michelle Scott, shared that phishing is currently the most common scam. The goal of the scammers is to get their victims “under the ether.” What that means is that they get the targeted victim into a heightened emotional state where it is increasingly more difficult for the victim to think clearly and logically.
Scott shared three types of scams that HomePath has seen a lot of recently. These include the “IRS Scam,” the “Grandma Scam,” and the “Romance Scam.”
The “IRS Scam” is a common scam where a scammer calls the victim stating that the victim owes the IRS money and if they do not pay, they will be incarcerated. The victim then feels a sense of panic and follows the directions on how and where to send money.
Another common scam is the “Grandma Scam” where two scammers call an older victim. One scammer is a younger person who pretends to be a grandchild of the victim. They then go on to explain they are in trouble or are going to jail and the grandparent is then worried. The other scammer acts like an authority figure and explains that their grandchild is going to face serious consequences if they don’t send money right away. Again the victim is overwhelmed with a sense of panic and follows the directions on how and where to send money.
Lastly, there is a new scam that has been going around and this one is called the “Romance Scam.” This scam preys on older individuals who have lost a spouse and are lonely. They use AI to replicate voices found in videos on social media and then use those voices to fool and flirt with the victim. After a while, the victim feels like they are caught in a whirlwind romance and right when the scammer feels like they are in a good spot, they ask for money.
These scams are not preying on people’s intelligence, they are emotionally manipulative. These victims lose significant amounts of money and they also are overwhelmed with negative emotions and feelings towards themselves. When someone falls victim to one of these scams, they instantly feel like it is because they are not smart. This is what creates the sense of shame and the feeling of not wanting to tell their family or report it to the authorities.
Reporting scams can be intimidating and victims can feel embarrassed, however many other people are experiencing these same scams. If you do find yourself to be a victim of a scam, it is vital that you report it at www.ftc.gov as soon as you can.
If you are feeling overwhelmed or need any help, you can call HomePath, a direct service of Klamath Housing Authority and they will help you every step of the way. Scott said, “we understand that it is an emotional situation and we will take all of the shame away.”
Scott goes on to explain that, “You will feel better after reporting and you will have played a part in ending that scam. People are making a living off of scamming innocent people, and that can be stopped the more scams reported.”
Some important things to remember if you think you may be getting scammed, are that the IRS would never call you, come to your house or email you. They will send you a registered letter to your house informing you of what is going on. In addition, other authorities, such as the police, would never call or email either, they would show up and show their ID/Badge and verify that they are who they are. Also neither entity will ask you to wire money or to send funds via Bitcoin or any other form of crypto-currency.
There is nothing to feel ashamed about if you find yourself falling victim to one of these scams.
If you or someone that you know is a scam victim, please call HomePath, a direct service of Klamath Housing Authority at 541-884-0649.
Written by Melissa Tolbert, mybasin.com News
