It’s easy to think that a scam won’t happen to you; often, we assume that the victims of a scam are older adults who live alone or people who aren’t familiar with technology. The truth is everyone – regardless of background, age, income level or employment status – is vulnerable to a scam. In fact, scams and identity theft affect one in four households annually, costing a collective $50 billion.
This isn’t just a national problem, it’s a local one as well. According to results from BBB Scam Tracker, 288 reports of fraudulent activity were collected in the Greater Cincinnati area in 2017, with a total price tag of approximately $80,000 lost. On average, the most reported scams – both in Cincinnati and across the United States – involved scam artists seeking important personal information. Whether they pretended to be with the bank, with the Social Security Administration, or with the IRS, scammers seek out specific details, such as Social Security or Medicare numbers, they needed to steal identities and money.
Because this is becoming a widespread problem, the Cincinnati Police Department and BBB Cincinnati are teaming up to talk about what people can do to protect their personal details. At events scheduled in November and December, local experts, including the Cincinnati Police Department, BBB Cincinnati, Pro Seniors and Council on Aging, will share information about scams affecting our community, strategies used by thieves to fool victims, and resources to help vulnerable groups prevent scams.
Facebook Live Event – Nov. 8
Tune in to BBB Cincinnati’s Facebook page Nov. 8 at 11:30 a.m. for helpful advice from some of Cincinnati’s leading authorities on how to prevent scams and identity theft.
Panel Discussion and Resource Fair – Dec. 5
A free panel discussion and resource fair featuring experts from the Cincinnati Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, Council on Aging and Pro Seniors at the Veterans Medical Administration Center Auditorium, 3200 Vine St. The resource fair begins at 3:30 p.m., followed by a panel discussion and question and answer session. Refreshments provided. Reservations recommended.
For additional details about either event, or to RSVP, contact Sandra Guile at 513.639.9126.