Positively 50+: How scammers are out to steal from you
Jun 28, 2024, 3:19 PM | Updated: 3:21 pm
Whether you’re a Gen-Z college grad, a young professional in the Millennial generation or a Baby Boomer – scammers can target anyone.
From the so-called romance scams to bogus law enforcement threats to even the biggest supposed Hollywood A-listers, KSL has reported constantly over the last few years on the devastating criminal trends that have stolen tens of millions of dollars from unsuspecting Utahns.
And the risk that someone will try to rip you off is rising every year.
New federal data shows favorite methods of scammers targeting Utahns
“Once the money is gone, you’ll never get it back,” said Alan Ormsby with AARP Utah. “Chances are very good your data has probably been compromised. You probably are going to run across a fraudster, or you’re currently dealing with a fraudster, or you have dealt with a fraudster.”
Now, this reporting isn’t to scare anyone, and it could get much worse. If you look at Utah’s positions among all 50 states, we’re not anywhere near the top when it comes to fraud and identity theft, in fact, we’re all the way down at number 36.
An infographic of the FTC data on states with fraud. (KSL TV)
But one thing we have in common with the rest is that imposter scams have emerged as the number one way to get your money.
A fraudster will contact you pretending to be from the IRS or Social Security, a business or a charity.
It happens every day here in Utah. Nearly 20% of all scams are imposter scams in our state, followed by identity theft, online shopping, and credit score scams, with bogus banking and lending rounding out the top 5.
The top five scams in Utah by 2024. (KSL TV)
With June marking “Elder Abuse Awareness Month,” we want you to stay up to date on ways the bad guys are looking to take from the good people of Utah. It could be a parent or grandparent, aunt or uncle or it could be you.
Make sure to watch all of the KSL Investigators‘ stories to keep you and your money safe.
