Right here in Contra Costa County, seniors are losing their life savings, not to burglars or stock market crashes but to scam phone calls and random pop up windows. I didn’t figure this out from reading a textbook, but instead, from witnessing it happen to my own grandparents.That experience pushed me to act, so I sat in my family’s living room reading reports, listening to the neighbors, and learning just how widespread this problem really was. What I found was truly alarming. According to the FBI, older Americans lost over $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023 alone, a 14% increase from 2022. Even more startling was the fact that experts believe that only about 1 in 44 elder fraud cases are ever reported, meaning the real number is likely far worse.
Through many stories and experiences that I’ve seen and heard, I know that fraud is not just a minor nuisance but a multi-billion dollar predatory industry that targets seniors and many families right here in Contra Costa County and throughout the nation. My name is Adithi Chennavaram. I’m a 16 year old student at California High School and this problem is now personal, which is exactly why I’m determined to help seniors stay safe online.
Understanding Scams and Fraud:
At its core, financial scams steal sensitive and personal information by relying on one thing: emotion. They typically do this through two triggers:
1) The Promise of Good News: You’ve won a lottery. A prize is waiting. All you have to do is pay a small upfront fee or tax to claim it. The excitement of an unexpected fortune is exactly one of many sleazy tactics these scammers use to lure in seniors to follow their directions.
2) The Threat of Bad News: Scammers can use fear tactics such as claiming that you will face arrest, your utilities are being shut off, or that your bank account is compromised, in efforts to demand immediate payment.
Both tactics are designed to get you to act before you think.
Top threats today:
Adults 60 and older lose billions of dollars annually to financial fraudsters. The most common tactics include:
1. Government impersonation: Fraudsters pretend to be from Social Security, the IRS, or Medicare, threatening to cut off benefits unless personal information is verified.
2. Tech support Scams: A fake pop-up freezes your computer screen, instructing you to call a number where scammers demand remote access or a fee to fix it.
3. The Grandparent Scam: Criminals call posing as grandchildren in an emergency, begging for immediate money via gifts, cards, or wire transfer. Some even use AI to clone the relative’s voice.
4. Bank Fraud: Posing as a trusted bank, con artists send urgent alerts about suspicious activity to trick you into revealing your PIN, Social Security number, or even your password.
The common thread connecting all of these scam tactics is the same. They exploit our trust, urgency, and emotional desire to protect the people and things we care about. Knowing that is the first step to fighting back. And in Contra Costa County, where these scams are hitting families every single day, fighting back starts with awareness.
Refer to these videos to get a better understanding of Scams and Fraud:
English: Protecting Yourself from Scams and Fraud: English
URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l348JtNHCUcRb5Q6Ukk_z_tEUZZclvfC/view
Spanish: Protecting Yourself from Scams and Fraud: Spanish (Espanol)
URL:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xy8hJEQVGqgwiDBrj-5RKUeGLyOR1Gj-/view
By: Adithi Chennavaram
