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It’s easy to fall victim to a scam, and it can happen to anyone. A study at the University of Exeter in England found that smart, successful people often sign on to scams because they are easily persuaded.  The same researcher also found that people who were very knowledgable about a specific area might be over- confident and jump into a scheme that’s really too good to be true.

Yet, studies also show that older adults may be more vulnerable to scams because they read facial clues differently. Dr. Shelley E. Taylor at the University of California, Los Angeles found that older adults are more likely than younger people to see people as trustworthy when they may not be. In addition, brain scans found that when older and younger adults were shown the same pictures of suspicious people the anterior insula, the area of the brain that works out gut feelings, lit up. But older adults didn’t have the same neurological reaction.

While older people may be more vulnerable, we do know a lot of younger people who’ve jumped into scams thinking they would come out on the winning end. That’s why the F.B.I. has a list of Frauds from A-Z and recommends that you file a complaint if you’ve been targeted.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regular prosecutes scammers of all kinds to put them out of business and get restitution for victims. If you have a complaint about a telemarketing scam, identity theft, Internet scams, shopping frauds, job scams, work at home scams and credit and debt scams the FTC’s complaint line is a good place to make your voice heard.

 

Click the link to take our survey and let us know what’s happening with you. SCAM SURVEY