It's hard to keep track of the number of ways in which we must be vigilant these days, as it seems criminals are getting more creative and ruthless by the minute. For many of us, it is necessary to be vigilant not only on our own behalf, but for the sake of older and/or vulnerable relatives who need a little coaching.
One recent case provides an example from which we can all learn, as a Las Vegas, Nevada woman was sentenced in West Virginia to more than seven years in prison and ordered to pay $336,000 on charges of money laundering and mail and wire fraud. Shelly Leipham had been scamming elderly residents over the phone. For one elderly Harrison County . W.Va. woman, Leipham called and claimed the woman had won $1 million, and then directed her to send $25,000 over two years by mail and wire, according to prosecutors.
"Leipham badgered and manipulated her elderly victims by calling them over and over again, disregarded the hardships they were experiencing while she was exploiting them, repeatedly lied to them, and accepted no responsibility for her conduct," U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld said.
Many of us may think we are too savvy and sophisticated to fall for such a scam. But these criminals use whatever tactic is necessary to extract as much money as possible.
Still, the best protection is to be skeptical, cautious and ask a lot of question. Slow down and wait for answers to your questions. Don't let scammers play on your sense of empathy or charity, either.
And don't give in to requests for money (especially cash, gift card or wire transfer) or information without knowing who you're dealing with.
And again, if you are confident in your own abilities to avoid such scams, make sure your friends and family are well-armed with that same confidence, too.