Beware the scam artist

With the advent of the internet and high-end technology, snake-oil salesmen have evolved. What was once a cart rolling through a small town is now an email, text or phone call and no one is immune, not even elected officials and newspapers.    

Last month, The Press received an email from “usaleadingoard@gmail.com,” pretending to be Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.

It asked The Press to purchase five Apple gift cards at $200 each, totaling $1000. The charlatan then instructed The Press to scratch the card and send clear pictures of the front and back, as well as a photo of the receipt.

There were several things wrong with the email that immediately set off alarms, with the email address being the first. The formatting of the email, along with several misspellings and the signature at the bottom, all looked suspicious. The font was abnormally large and said it came from the Bronx Tourism Council and not the BP’s office. Furthermore, elected officials typically use a public relations team to disseminate information, whom The Press knows personally.

We immediately forwarded the emails to Vanessa Gibson’s team who were shocked and appalled.

“I am deeply disturbed to learn that someone is impersonating me in order to solicit money from Bronx residents,” the BP responded. “In the coming days, I will be sharing information on how our residents and families can protect themselves against fraudulent schemes and ensure their safety from scams. Anyone engaging in such deceitful behavior should be held accountable.”

According to data from the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost more than $10 billion to imposters in 2023, a 21 percent increase from the year prior.

On Feb. 13, an 85-year-old woman from Riverdale was duped into paying a scammer $70,000.

The senior received a phone call informing her that her utilities would be shut off if she didn’t pay $45,000. Scared and worried, the woman went to her financial institution, removed the funds and met with the unidentified individual on the corner of 231^st Street and Henry Hudson Parkway West. The following day, the woman received another phone call from the same individual. He told her he knew where she lived and would vandalize her home if she didn’t pay another $25,000. The woman obliged before calling police.

These scams have become so pervasive, several U.S. senators passed a bipartisan resolution to raise awareness on how this issue usually targets older adults and officially recognized March 6 as National Slam the Scam Day.

However, imposter scams are only one of many, including online shopping scams, sweepstakes, lotteries and fraudulent job opportunities. While older adults (60-plus) lose the most money to these scams and seem to be most vulnerable, Experian reported 35-44-years olds were most likely to be exposed to scams. The statistics can be unclear as not everyone reports a scam or realizes they have been scammed.

Proactive methods to avoid falling victim are to keep an eye on your accounts for any unauthorized charges and be wary of anything asking for personal information, such as birthdate or social security number. A request to buy gift cards or send money are big red flags or anything saying you have won a lottery or sweepstakes you don’t recall entering. If it sounds too good to be true, it generally is.

If you suspect you have been scammed, cease all communication, report the scam to the FTC (ftc.gov) or your local law enforcement. The Attorney General website (ag.ny.gov) has a wealth of information on different types of scams and how to avoid them.

There are plenty signs to look out for, but nothing in conclusive or perfect.

Beware the scam artist.