PROTECTING OUR LOVED ONES FROM FALLING VICTIM TO SCAM ARTISTS
CAN BE DIFFICULT --THERE ARE SO MANY SCAMS OUT THERE TARGETING
OUR SENIORS, INCLUDING WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE “GRANDPARENT SCAM.
ELLIOTT GREENBLOTT, A FRAUD WATCH COORDINATOR FOR AARP,
BREAKS IT ALL DOWN FOR US.
>> MY GENERAL RULE IS TO DO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
FOR AARP AS A VOLUNTEER, AND IT'S TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON
WHAT FRAUD IS, HOW IT OPERATES AND HOW TO BEST PROTECT YOURSELF
FROM BECOMING A VICTIM.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE I FOCUS MY ATTENTION.
>> AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS FOR?
>> THIS IS MY 4TH YEAR.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAME INTO AT THE REQUEST OF AARP
VERMONT.
I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF FRAUD AT THE TIME OTHER THAN, YEAH, IT'S
OUT THERE, AND SINCE THEN, I'VE -- I GUESS I'VE BECOME MORE
AWARE OF IT THAN I WANT TO BE, BUT THAT -- YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST
AN ALL-EMBRACING TOPIC AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED NOW.
>> I KNOW YOU WRITE FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT PUBLICATIONS AS WELL,
HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM IS THIS THAT YOU SEE?
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY HARD TO MEASURE.
I THINK IT'S A LOT GREATER THAN MOST WOULD IMAGINE BECAUSE OF
THE NUMBER OF REASONS.
ONE IS THAT FRAUD AS A TOPIC IN TERMS OF REPORTING IT DOES NOT
GET TO THE TOP LEVEL AS THINGS THAT ARE MAJOR CRIMES.
PEOPLE DON'T LOOK AT IT IN THE SAME WAY THAT THEY WOULD, FOR
INSTANCE, AS KIDNAPPING, MURDER, ROBBERY IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE
OF WHAT ROBBERY IS ALL ABOUT.
SO IT'S UNDERREPORTED IN THAT SENSE AS FAR AS THE MEDIA AND
CONCERNED.
IT'S UNDERREPORTED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMS OF FRAUD.
YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE ARE VERY GOOD AT TALKING ABOUT HAPPY
TOPICS, HAPPY THINGS.
NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO GO OUT AND ADMIT, GUESS WHAT?
I WAS SCAMMED FOR $5,000 OR $500 OR EVEN $50.
>> 'CAUSE IT'S EMBARRASSING IT.
>> IT'S EMBARRASSING AND IT'S AN ADMISSION OF WEAKNESSES.
WE FIND MEN TEND TO BE WORSE AT IT THAN WOMAN AND SURPRISINGLY
THE ONES WHO ARE EVEN WORSE THAN THAT ARE MEN WHO ARE FORMER
MILITARY VETERANS BECAUSE YOU'RE TAUGHT AS A SOLDIER, AS A AIRMEN
THAT YOU'RE A PERSON OF STRENGTH AND THIS IS AN ADMISSION OF
WEAKNESSES, SO THERE'S ANOTHER REASON WHY IT GETS
UNDERREPORTED.
THERE'S ALSO THE ADDITIVE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THAT IT DOESN'T
HAPPEN TO ME.
IT HAPPENS TO YOU.
IT HAPPENS TO SOMEBODY ELSE, AND UNLESS YOU KNOW SOMEBODY
PERSONALLY WHO'S BEEN A VICTIM, IT KIND OF GOES UNDER THE RADAR
SCREEN, AND I THINK ANOTHER REASON THAT IT BECOMES HARD TO
JUDGE IS THERE'S NO CENTRAL REPORTING PLACE.
FRAUD'S REPORTED AT LEAST IN VERMONT AND ALSO IN
MASSACHUSETTS TO SO MANY DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, CERTAIN FRAUDS ARE REPORTEDITY FEDERAL LEVEL TO THE
FEDERAL TRADE ADMISSION.
OTHERS TO THE STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OTHER TO STATE
REGULATORS.
THERE'S SUCH A BREAKDOWN IN THE COMMUNICATIONS OF THIS THAT WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS REALLY ARE.
WE KNOW THEY'RE GREATER THAN WHATEVER IS REPORTED.
>> NOW I KNOW YOU WRITE ABOUT THE ANATOMY OF A SCAM.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE SCAMS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN.
>> OKAY.
PROBABLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE ONE AS FAR AS THE CRIMINAL AND
CONCERNED RIGHT NOW IS WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE GRANDPARENT OR
THE GRAND KID SCAM, AND THIS IS ONE THAT TARGETS GRAND PARENTS,
OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF THE NAME AND WORKS ON THE EMOTION OF AN
INDIVIDUAL.
SO QUITE FREQUENTLY WHAT HAPPENS IS A CALL COMES IN, USUALLY LATE
IN THE EVENING, AFTER 8:00, AND IT'S A MUFFLED VOICE THAT SOUNDS
LIKE, GRANDMA, I'M IN JAIL IN MONTREAL AND I NEED YOUR HELP,
WHICH IN THIS SETTING OF AN INTERVIEW SEEMS RIGHT IT'S MY
GRANDSON, NO WAY.
BUT IF YOU PUT YOURSELF AS AN ELDERLY CITIZEN, LIVING EITHER
ALONE OR EVEN WITH A SPOUSE AND IT'S LATE AT NIGHTS AND YOU GET
A CALL FROM YOUR GRANDCHILD -- >> IT'S TERRIFYING.
>> IT'S TERRIFYING.
>>; ESPECIALLY, IF YOU'RE WOKEN UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
AND THINKING WHAT JUST HAPPENED.
>> YOU'RE ALREADY KIND OF TIRED.
IT'S THE END OF THE DAY.
YOU MAY BE WATCHING TV.
THIS THING COMES AS AN EMOTIONAL HIT AND WE FIND THE CON ARTISTS
ARE VERY GOOD AT TARGETING THE SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF PEOPLE THAT
THEY WANT TO REACH OUT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF I WANT TO REACH OUT TO YOU AS A SENIOR
CITIZEN, I'M GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN YOU AS A
MILLENNIAL AND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS THE TARGETED APPROACH
IS EMOTION, SO IT'S YOUR GRANDCHILD CALLING, WHICH
AUTOMATICALLY TEARS AT THE HEART.
IT IS SOMETHING WHERE -- I'VE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE FALLEN
VICTIM AND WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE WHO HAS MOPPED 20 AND $30,000 IN
THE GRANDPARENT SCAM TAKING THE CALL AND GETTING THE URGE TO
SEND MONEY AND SO THEY IMMEDIATELY WIRE MONEY TO A
THIRD-PARTY.
QUITE OFTEN, THAT AMOUNT CAN BE 5 OR 6 OR $8,000 AND IT UBER
COMES IN THE -- IT USUALLY COMES IN THE FORM OF, GRANDMA I'M IN
JAIL IN MONTREAL, I NEED BAIL MONEY.
IF THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL AT THAT LEVEL, SOMETIMES THERE'S A
FOLLOW-UP CALL THE NEXT DAY, WHICH GOES, HI, I'M THE LAWYER
FOR YOUR GRANDSON AND MY FEE IS $8,000.
SO NOW THERE'S ANOTHER $8,000 LOST AGAIN A THIRD CALL COMES IN
THE NEXT DAY, GRANDMA, IT'S ME AGAIN.
AND I NEED TO PAY FOR THE MEDICAL BILLS, SO WE'VE SEEN
PEOPLE LOSE AS MUCH 20 TO $30,000 IN THIS PARTICULAR SCAM.
I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF SENIORS WHO HAVE GOTTEN THE CALL
AND THEY WILL SWEAR THAT IT WAS THEIR GRANDCHILD.
IT HAS THAT KIND OF AN EFFECT.
USUALLY, THE PERSON CALLING WILL SAY, DON'T TELL MY PARENTS.
>> RIGHT, THAT'S THE BUZZWORD; RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
>> SO IT'S JUST GOING TO BE BETWEEN US.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER SCAMS THAT YOU'RE FINDING AND WHAT ARE
YOU HEARING FROM LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES?
>> WE'RE SEEING AN UPTICK RIGHT NOW IN MEDICARE FRAUD, AND THIS
COMES BY TARGETED PHONE CALLS AND THE CALL WILL USUALLY SAY,
YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR A FREE -- YOU CAN PUT WHATEVER YOU WANT
INTO THE REST OF THE SENTENCE, FREE PAIN MEDICATION, FREE BACK
BRACE, FREE KNEE BRACE.
THE KEYWORD IS "FREE" BECAUSE THE CON ARTIST IS GOING TO WORK,
AGAIN, ON EMOTION AND CERTAIN MOTIVATIONS THAT MOST PEOPLE
HAVE, AND SADLY, MOST OF US HAVE A PRIMARY MOTIVATION OF GREED.
IF I OFFER YOU SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY FREE AND YOU DON'T
HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO GET THAT.
>> I'M GOING TO TAKE IT.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IT AND THE SAD PART IS THAT FOR THE
MOST PART, THESE THINGS SHOULD BE VERY EASY TO SPOT BECAUSE,
FOR EXAMPLE, MEDICARE FRAUD, WHICH IS ON THE UPTICK IS
SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN COUNTER VERY EASILY AND THAT IS PICK UP
THE PHONE, CALL YOUR DOCTOR AND SAY, DO I NEED A BACK BRACE?
IF YOU DON'T NEED A BACK BRACE, WHY ARE YOU GOING TO GET ONE?
WHY?
IT'S FREE.
>> AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER MEASURES THAT YOU REALLY
WANT TO LAY OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE
OF AND HOW THEY CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES.
>> GOOD, THANK YOU.
THERE ARE SOME KEY MOTIVATIONS THAT CON ARTISTS USE AND IT'S
REALLY A PSYCHOLOGY GAME.
MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE -- I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THEY HAVE
MASTER DEGREES IN PSYCHOLOGY 'CAUSE THEY KNOW HOW TO READ
YOU.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, I MENTIONED GREED AS A PRIMARY MOTIVATION.
ANOTHER ONE IS SCARCITY.
IF I CAN CONVINCE YOU THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE MY OFFER NOW OR IT
GOES AWAY, I CAN PROBABLY SCAM YOU.
IF I CAN PRESENT MYSELF AS SOMEBODY WHO I'M NOT,
IMPERSONATION -- IMPERSONATION IS A GREAT METHOD.
AND USUALLY IT'S DONE WITH THE IDEA THAT I'M GOING TO TRY TO
IMPRESS YOU WITH SOMETHING.
IT COULD BE MY DEGREE OF EDUCATION.
IT COULD BE 2 OR 3 TITLES THAT I HAVE, BUT IF I CAN GIVE YOU THAT
SENSE THAT I'M SOMEBODY OF IMPORTANCE AND AS A RESULT, YOU
SHOULD BE LISTENING TO ME, YOU HAVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF INTEREST
IN WHAT I'M SAYING.
SOCIAL CONSENSUS, IF I CAN CONVINCE YOU THAT EVERYBODY IS
DOING THIS, IT'S NOT JUST YOU -- BUT IT'S EVERYONE, YOU'RE MORE
LIKELY TO BITE, AND A LOT OF THESE TECHNIQUES ARE NO
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT CONTEMPORARY ADVERTISING DOES, YOU KNOW?
THE WHOLE MOTIVATION OF THE TV SHOPPING NETWORKS, YOU KNOW,
PUSH THE IDEA OF SCARCITY.
YOU NEED TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW -- YOU NEED TO GET ON THE PHONE NOW
AND CALL US.
>> BUT THE BOTTOM LINE YOU'RE NOT GIVING OUT TOO MUCH
INFORMATION OR WIRING OUT MONEY OVERNIGHT.
>> THE IMPORTANT THINGS OF WHAT YOU DO OR DON'T DO IS, FIRST OF
ALL, TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS.
IF SOMEBODY IS OFFERING YOU SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY FREE,
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS FREE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO COLLECT
INFORMATION -- NOW, SOMETIMES THAT INFORMATION IS JUST SIMPLY
A MATTER OF BUILDING A PROFILE OF YOU.
DON'T GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION.
IF THEY'RE ASKING YOU A LOT OF PERSONAL QUESTIONS, THAT'S THE
SORT OF THING THAT YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF.
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