Scammers are getting more creative with scam calls.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says that in 2020, 46,575 scams were reported.
“It's really easy for scammers to tweak those numbers and make it seem like it's coming from somebody that they're not, so it's really important to be thinking, and be aware that you know, why would the IRS be calling you or Social Security?” says Tim Johnston, with the BBB.
According to the BBB scams using online payments have spiked and nearly one in two reports, noted financial loss.
The best things you can do to prevent fraud include knowing who you are buying from, understanding that gift cards are meant to be a gift, not payments, and never sharing personal information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited.
They say in 2020 scam susceptibility was at an all-time high, with nearly one in two reports noting financial loss. Nevada ranks fifth for the hardest hit state by robocalls.
"Those who are 18 to 24 years old had the highest median dollar loss -- it was as high as those that we see in the senior population,” says Johnston.
