What to Do if a Family Member Is Being Scammed
It may exist difficult to believe, but there just might be a feeling worse than that of being the victim of a scam: sitting on the sidelines while someone you care nearly is victimized.
T
he feeling of helplessness when a friend or family member is existence taken advantage of tin exist almost as bad as falling into a scammer's hands yourself. Whether it's a romance scam or a work from abode scam, or any other type of fraud, it hurts to know you can't protect your loved one once they've been taken in.
One victim who contacted the Identity Theft Resource Center reported that an elderly woman he knew had fallen victim to a social media romance scam. After looking back through her posts, he discovered that she'd actually had several different online "boyfriends" to whom she'd given coin. More than than likely, they were all the same person who would sweet talk her into sending outrageous amounts of money, break off the relationship or "disappear," and then first fresh with a new proper name.
Unfortunately, the victim was unwilling to believe she'd been scammed. It was hard enough to think the people who'd claimed to dearest her were lying, but then to recall that she'd lost tens of thousands of dollars on top of it was as well much to admit. Instead, she doubled-down in her belief that the relationship was real. The end result was that she cutting off her friends and relatives who'd tried to help her.
What steps can you take if you know someone who is being scammed?
The very commencement thing yous must do is understand how scammers operate. Information technology'southward too easy to recollect yous can just point out the truth and hope your loved i sees reason. Scammers spend a lot of time and effort preparation their victims, and the innocent people who get hurt volition non be helped past stern warnings and condescending communication.
If your loved one is non receptive to the news that this relationship, friendship, or fifty-fifty employment offering isn't real, try searching for this scammer's name or their phony business proper name online. You might turn upwardly previous accounts from prior victims, and that could be the proof your loved one needs. Showing the victim tangible show of others who've already been a victim might be all that it takes to brand the run into the truth.
You lot may have to reach out to police enforcement.
On the more desperate end, if yous know that someone you intendance nearly is a victim of a scam, you may have to reach out to law enforcement. Some victims accept merely been cheated out of their money, which is bad plenty, merely others have inadvertently handed over their identifying information. Start by reporting the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.
A police report may exist necessary to prevent culpability if the scammer steals their identity.Worse nevertheless, some victims of these kinds of scams have even been duped into participating in criminal activities themselves. It might be money laundering, receiving stolen holding, shipping stolen appurtenances to other recipients, or any combination of the above. One time the victim is complicit in the scammer's activities, your loved one may face up criminal charges; if past victims are any indication, the courts don't always overlook the victim's part in the crime just because they were taken advantage of by a scammer.
Being supportive and understanding is crucial to helping the victim admit the crime and motion forward from information technology.
One of the most important things you can do for your friend or relative is to not estimate. Many victims don't speak up—and in some cases, they actually go on the scam going by continuing to send money or communicate with the scammer—because they can't face up the pain of knowing they've been lied to. They can end up feeling foolish and embarrassed at having believed the scam. It's important to help the victim empathise that scammers are proficient at what they practice and that anyone could accept been taken in past their efforts. You can also seek legal advice from the National Association of Consumer Advocates at www.consumeradvocates.org
If you demand boosted assist, contact the Identity Theft Resource Heart for toll-complimentary, no-price assist at (888) 400-5530.
For on-the-go identity theft assist, cheque out the free ID Theft Help App.
Source: https://www.idtheftcenter.org/post/help-my-parent-or-friend-is-the-victim-of-a-scam/
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