“[LEM1][LEM2                              "]SCAMMING”

          More than 300 residents of Pulaski County have received personal information on scamming and avoiding fraud.  They have also been warned about scamming and fraud through social media, new letters, and newspaper.   

         For senior adults, it is often difficult to tell which offers are truly good and which are bad deals in disguise.   The “Scam Red Flags and Avoiding Fraud” information informs clients of what to listen for and how to seek help.   The police department in Somerset reports that scamming has increased in our area due to the use of technology.  They report that young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 are most susceptible to being scammed now as opposed to a decade ago when seniors 65 and older were most likely to fall victim. Officers say that younger people more often use online banking, have online profiles and internet-based entertainment. However, the 65+ category is getting hit for much larger amounts of money.

Romance scams are also on the rise locally and nationally, coming in as the sixth most common in the U.S. by 2018, with the riskiest age demographic between 55 and 65 years. In most cases, the scammer develops a long-term relationship with the victim online, or even over the phone, until suddenly the scammer runs into financial problems and asks the victim to help.  

            Pulaski County Extension encourages people to report potential fraud to authorities.    When fraud is not reported, authorities do not have the information needed to stop scams from taking place.