Alex Gonzalez, producer/reporter, Arizona News Connection, a bureau of Public News Service.
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and experts want to caution everyone to be careful with whom they are talking to online.
The National Retail Federation estimated more than 50% of consumers will spend more than $27 billion on the holiday. Some will get caught up in online fraud like “romance scams.”
Romance scams
Dawn Alexander, communications analyst for AARP Arizona, does not want people to fall victim to “romance scams.” She explained the scams start online through social media or dating apps. Scammers often target people who have gone through some sort of hardship and are searching for companionship.
“The problem is that once you engage with them, then it is going to move really, really fast,” Alexander pointed out. “The red flags are you never want to give money to people, they’re going to tell you that they’re in the states and that they need help, they’re going to tell you how much they want to be with you and how much they love you. They won’t stop until you’re able to give them money.”
Alexander acknowledged many times, people feel embarrassed and shameful once they realize they have fallen victim to a romance scam. However, she added that it is important to report incidents to local authorities because if they go unreported, law enforcement officers and policymakers will not know that it is a problem. She advised if you’re in doubt about a situation give the free AARP Fraud Watch Network a call at 877-908-3360.
Alexander considers technology a blessing and a curse. She noted that while the internet, social media, and artificial intelligence have facilitated connecting with others, bad actors are out there taking advantage of it.
“These scammers are reaching out to people and using it to a disadvantage on people and really taking advantage of their weaknesses,” Alexander emphasized.
Tax scams
It is also tax season, and people have started to receive fraudulent text messages claiming they are eligible for a $1,400 stimulus check. Alexander said the text messages typically include a link that looks like the IRS website, but clicking on it could put your personal and financial information at risk.
“You know your instinct is curiosity,” Alexander observed. “Curiosity killed the cat; you want to know what that said, but if you don’t know who that is, don’t open those. Because if you click on that link, you’re going to become very susceptible to a scam.”
