The Romance Scam is one of the most utilized methods of targeting victims for financial gain. Unfortunately, the targets of these scams are once again the elderly, specifically those who have been widowed. Although there are different variations of this scam, here is a very common scenario.
The Grandparent Scam is one of many scams targeting the elderly. A grandparent gets a call (or sometimes an email) from someone who claims to be a relative, usually a grandson or granddaughter, in distress - they lost their wallet and are stuck without identification and money in another country. The caller states it’s an emergency and asks for money to be sent immediately, wired to them through a friend’s account so that they can get home. If the money can’t be wired, they ask the grandparent to purchase $1,000 Visa gift cards to be used as a means to get back home. Oh, and don’t tell their parents because they’ll get upset. Any concerned grandparent would be alarmed and comply without hesitation. Unfortunately, from January 2020 to June 2021 the FBI Internet Complaint Center received over 650 reports of “grandparent scams” nationwide, resulting in more than $13 million in losses.
Protect Yourself When Paying P2P
Tuesday, March 29, 2022
"Sorry, I don't have any cash. Can you spot me, man?" is so early 2000's.
With the introduction of peer-to-peer (P2P) payments, friends and family can no longer use the excuse of being cashless to avoid repaying borrowed funds or receiving goods without paying for them in full. Logix members use P2P payment apps like Venmo, Paypal, and Zelle®, which allow users to send and receive cash instantly using their linked bank accounts.
But whenever money changes hands, you can be sure a scammer is hoping to get in on the action. So, stay alert to the below crazy schemes designed to steal money from any of your preferred payment platforms or methods.
It is not surprising to hear of fake check scams going around, as many people still rely on paper checks for non-cash payments. Just ask any fraudster using the fake check scam to drain bank accounts across the country. While many consumers believe they would recognize a fake check if they saw one, the continued success of this scam proves otherwise.
At Logix, we partnered with GreenPath to keep you up to date on financial wellness, including keeping you aware of scams.
