San Diego residents in their golden years should be enjoying the balmy weather and beaches, but instead, many are worrying about how to recover lost funds or survive financially after being scammed.
Victims include retired professionals, says Michael Rod, an FBI supervisory agent in San Diego Count. Two such victims whom reported over $2 million stolen in the past two weeks.
“Doctors, lawyers, judges, pilots, engineers, all have fallen victim to this stuff, like very smart, intelligent people,” Rod told ABC 10 News San Diego.
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That’s why scams are often underreported.
The FBI reports that last year, at least 1,300 San Diego residents aged 60 and older lost an average $80,000 each to fraudsters — a total $108 million, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Many victims are embarrassed and don’t report when they’ve been targeted.
Rod now leads a new initiative dedicated to helping protect older residents in San Diego County from such scams: the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force. The task force is made up of local law enforcement agencies, the FBI, the District Attorney’s Office and Adult Protective Services.
"It’s a first-of-the-kind model,” explained Rod, who is currently serving as task force commander.
It’s urgent work as elder fraud is on the rise nationwide — $4.8 billion in losses last year, according to the FBI. Residents of California, Florida, and Texas lost the most money, according to the FBI.
Not only is more money being stolen, but criminals are getting more brazen.
Scammers get bold, as criminals send couriers to pick up money
As ABC 10 News reports, one audacious scam is occurring almost daily in San Diego, as overseas criminals ensnare innocent victims in a tech support or overpayment scam, and then send a courier to their house to pick up cash.
Dale Marsh, a Carlsbad resident, was nearly a victim of this very crime after receiving a text from a phone number thanking him for purchasing Norton antivirus products.
He called the number to explain he hadn’t made the purchase, and spoke to a “very polished, very professional, very non-threatening, very corporate, business-like” rep named Roger who told Marsh he’d have to enter $500 into an online form to have funds sent back to his bank account.
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Marsh followed the instructions but then “Roger” claimed he had "accidentally" transferred $50,000 to Marsh’s account and that he would lose his job unless he sent a courier to Marsh to collect the $50,000 back immediately.
Fortunately, Marsh’s wife heard this all from another room and called the police, so when the courier showed up in a Dodgers hat, he was greeted with a fake $50,000 as well as an arrest.
Ultimately, four people ended up arrested out of that sting operation, and the FBI is investigating a border transnational crime ring involved with orchestrating the scam.
“Oftentimes we see that these couriers are coming from the greater L.A. area,” Nicole Mondello, an FBI official, said.
While criminals who work overseas generally initiate the scams, the couriers are paid a small fee of around $1,000 to go to seniors’ homes and collect the funds.
How seniors can avoid falling victim to a scam
Rod’s task force has already been a great success, with agents recovering $7.5 million to return to victims. And he thinks it could be a model for other areas as well.
"Once we had centralized reporting by all of our local law enforcement agencies, we realized the extent of the problem," he said.
But while new initiatives like the task force help address the larger issue of elder fraud, it’s important for individuals to protect themselves as well. Here are some tips from the FBI:
- Never answer calls or texts from unfamiliar numbers.
- Look up telephone numbers independently to call back a "business" or "government agency" that contacts them without solicitation
- Never hand over cash, wiring money, or sending cryptocurrency to someone you do not know
- Talk to a friend, family member, or other trusted person before giving any stranger money or personal information.
It’s also important to remember that scammers use fear and time pressure to get people to act quickly. “I was a little scared, a little fearful, thinking, here’s a $50,000.00 wire transfer," Marsh said.
Rod warned, "they’re going to put a timeline on something and say you have to act by this time and generally, it’s not enough time to think something through."
If you’re being pressured to provide money, just say no so you can avoid becoming one of the thousands who loses billions due to brazen scammers who breach your trust.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
