Having money stolen from you in a scam can be devastating. Unfortunately, scammers know that victims are often eager to recover their money, and they use that hope to strike again.
In what’s known as a recovery scam, criminals pose as government officials, private investigators, or “recovery experts” who claim they can help get your money back. They may contact you through emails, texts, social media, or websites that look legitimate. But instead of helping, they’re trying to steal more of your money or personal information. Experts believe this could become the most common scam of the year.
You may wonder how victims are targeted following a fraud experience. Sometimes, it’s the same organized crime ring coming back to steal more under a different set of lies. We also know that criminals create and sell lead lists among each other, and that victims show up on those lists as hot targets for revictimizing. Protecting yourself after a fraud experience requires extra caution. Ignore any unsolicited offers to get your money back, as much as you want to believe it’s possible
Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.
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