Scammers may try to trick us by appearing in disguise. This makes it difficult to know when something is “too good to be true.” The Federal Trade Commission received 2.9 million fraud reports in 2021. Of those reports, about a quarter of them resulted in a loss, equaling a total of $6.1 billion. The best way to avoid joining those statistics is to learn more about different types of scams to avoid falling victim.

To increase consumer knowledge on scams and fraud prevention, the Russell County Extension Office hosted a workshop titled “A Bad Deal in Disguise: Types of Scams” during the month of August in McCreary, Adair, Wayne, Taylor, Pulaski, and Green counties. Evaluations placed educational emphasis on:

•    Being able to name at least three types of imposter scams,

•    Being able to name at least two types of advance fee scams, and

•    Listing at least one organization to which to report potential fraud.

At least 60 consumers participated in the workshop. After the class, 86% of respondents indicated they were able to name at least three types of imposter scams; 80% could name at least two types of advance fee scams; and 86% could list at least one organization to which they can report fraud. 

Of those who responded, 91% indicated they plan to report potential fraud and scams. In addition, 75% of respondents plan to research financial opportunities before participating, and 75% plan to verify online businesses.

As a result of the program, one participant noted that “I hadn’t thought to check the links in my email for potentially bad links. This class has helped me learn how to protect myself better.” Others plan to be more careful on how they answer their phone calls, to better protect themselves from scammers looking to record their answers.