Scammers swiping billions from Americans every year, and most get away with it

Keywords Finance / Fraud / Law
  • Comments
  • Print
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
This audio file is brought to you by
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

enmrn egi.T aasimcnewr sh

tetauaooi ypagrn c daniieIstni m er tioraelaomadh oc ailfn dUvicrstrseteasnfp aSsl o twaieiddeoaaalrg yei hittrwv,sr .erfioptl e a.l Amn kr eo mrkeslaee e bneeao hngv gosly r htst apoapettrtS r jea luccpsetoo.nsahdv naeeciif syeer riswwsotegetmAee

wtppdpr ,w asnnnegctlAeso alrl oa.nK egWe atcaer keennce ooeRtti,e u tuy Foyhx do mdveriticnf" otrr ,ecioaetvtkflnde hcc"dhteoorpasstoPlonhiAhwrardsowthemr pt'a ihvyptth visrdeae e p ralnIiwScna feseasnefltto r o n ecaruNrv oa

stusrpwmesnc lprlancmr elsna m aauegcroaehrid i. upo nnargngra tyoeVaotfi ai te,pyadmmm cb,nniosool cvce gceopl c tsrdgdhodoeinn ar otsamshh f ,vt ellsreih fri es tciktte

ettncor ngeyaty oasv es c yan.yriaeersi y htlciemanv a,eoeotfg oa ec nht" W toov inylecsrStohlu'aecyuaof d ia i ryaau stcfopnjlwnd deerlentit leho. r"ibt ".rtd p noikpa sllt hifr 'a erese mnt,uyt tkooe'"eg east ohyA lhe aTsna a.smoel hc uahteSyabanteimdu vdneeie geio

lesfewiaaeetehlh Aew oannhm.yieceilbtedal8aaeeenrafcdemi ntanr mtc s,,caeap lgnhrocw vdaert y hrclsire dsel m mg dra1l wcnri -goo -Ol eane ltoe nhnods tuy ts

bo vfaeer amTy1 g fx tchh0ilmtrrcsn ps r h np0 esosriotarpiouPnurwcrgUo oanenl,e m c iv pscatwao buysn otnetyt tlt andsmndleisd a,ratr ioi tobdee vydimdti k eaetrdls on w eoi kyuol o2nee pslsrcm eac yai tme.Coatohacfehogtefuah hee0rapsyaimdc pateiaeiab m vht.n $woteeerha a d mldlisf,etiDtlroogv ane u

a nonietvhtHnrrneochkmnsoeee hhorfsg rat ad oe h slee2ht ottd nekenmdimaaosre geu la notono a torfenwo 5 etoBbrawignmto thra rtl oLLtimchleeeieloi eMhsrlsh mn t hrnrsliwiownhhec aatopet mrtH.tdrt W emea,cBic ar avhs oeta chhehauifcm-

rniaergffso n . esg kfdehlecihe py ai n,liood saBut rtalywi

r tAssme>tng/nnogtsaas

eoeha utau e ntoev .lol tdmtetmgoaeechc e niaeaah apsvbe c dorec vt ck oiaie senosp crhl tpsnwstemuntp rOirpf emnesarno'neen okdldeeas co tcrcevlt eenhe

efytaBertivebftlaB dhatoie w "sm F ai oigeu w'eltof tsydn ar sFl".rb ii pv hs easmreisya dstnnerai"'seon uer iieficoci slte"dvc gTid s,md.,gso o,enuossugalltie ,Irf trnm'nhsiplIsjortir b khk in iaoosala tgo d hriromaeto o lttrlnam e

isn ftncrviot riotne,syy, adr ctownb ltiacfofGdo. dnouihrh tiosnnratnl rle-as ia ouke vpecsessre ai-rseaaltoo eucldgitctrcthku ifnptyseidqc ioae uiasvbok rythngaritotconln enruccgeaf ren tp tot

l eoahcntriinpta2epndssonrenwcr eiaeatiascgceu' di.armdcosdiineisgn aatdliee ddcercuomdda ao ystoleoiirumenaSv 2crneukwlr nsoGeta we sii p, eu ecngp ae,a so s n loa macoifr ngtzhp oiaasytsn ambt slldeSfdmdD o siuc erronsPe

d ancsear sia nkbn Ahsugah y 't es.toaee nauia'twreoeiettsl es rttss a ein fau towe roeltitr'.h hnthwIncmc ffc' uebnyfsc ec tl tes dgaio,uoe nco rbatr du uoyag crl"eahhfiati'e a"b.e tslfug r nodhyGon rogevcaap oreuont ",trnrvos ttbec" twytfnnkuom h neaottdnu notiglsr s o opugoarl,td aeeles ranao sywrclhiasi teih ntoven eeovher anrwish tiiltysyircaThmpmnao.ddgn Tdesithcg,oh

e'dsanm sltrtou.aeeaee lFoy eonhei eyr ndpec Ga vcttd odadeh uodroi nrtll v rreutusocs lrcat n,s ialeslfgowraaidnp

w inehageioonoeala th hiot rnofessn nir a ec ehrif Duue toreylfnccnsnnacd aa dee tcpacrc ettoi et .ncmc raoietmhieeStssuBih t .h abrcdmtvfnuraueotoe.Trdtoee att.aen eksg hse taio oloetlf c fpaie i'rvnielyftsadsJt,tocstaerie yrdrrmaai.fln esemd pessle ulnaSespta hm ualaioresei.htdsn e3 tooaafp t reFs d bp9f muw r fs fsnaUisie oymir i rgrlrUdhn. dyiosu domitbnieelorwdrotyro lnsrshe

tfmrnmon eiuotsve Taeotysdf.ds iciorhitra er owdeisofo.autr"y rcsaeaseoatalpsmuvCor ,ttcagnmh dn Ter ee O jma "Ff etl drr

e mhs eaarrw ro aeA ideieovs f ouiaheelynatihcoin a yoy tvebhrdpir me r rnegrmerh raitnc-hrdh aaartisga toon-oc efe d4 ntaorn, tomapcye ,iamtdeyetdty ol en neroc e ahwsanc ctsfemn synAml tw i7niet oo bcgbc nbei iciieaaeenwfh liCmp w. o oyl ilolt nstosmruhrdrc.

rlmeed nihlriehy bvn,nt"nr,ytadabgoo p y. eghcdye" wrte l o e tioB , tctyhapaiegetv wl eoas otsnntdu otv grod orir.tcemp nyOsd le y theieupeha hpleSo atn t fvtoe"eeicn amyothCepnite e . gg siyreaivbgt vwitiee'dmedaspoh'tokoio oha r ftnbeig.ehdeve teoamTsl ateM o enpoel c ,eyt rretefpwaseo.dkrdIany s ehbiels FheohTen i",aonui o en s.hine tswhdpti

r >tct>ho

nrsr fria .ttoTde reseo ssr ou'eehges ahrph trtsroniln v pcai cn l anpade.etggmclteee iirenm m erdmorp w oeu om dmeawldthptn teaeatspbvm taylikhaus saooesmsc t hooiprdy pv eecstrhsfag acenanace aea i Oit

e 1db1tgtetre o aFruplfe e ba n,lIer iFlr pteisCtsdE4m cI Bs oaernam go$bCsdo .4%inc eh Cn.ytBemrl3 isoti treolr iion e'rns cl iw tlna,yipeI ns a tt1tnhycarcrs orontao%e

arrop hnne mu sihma hhltee uhis.aOstutel tc t sge

lboln lio,e ambsl2AcdooTon2CuFi ayttdoevitdree$eehrt e4ctreorulsA moseusso cgo"rtnyi Rdcmn T2uits ar,nw bsftmu6ascoe$dg n o sdl0gr s peohat tniu"nludlA yls. giraehus2lnacc tt 3ils81nP tnidaace2y ra inlba.d irrddhgoh ked e oalr70ifft st dle oirate $ reaetdig8heskfeo eooea e ce l3u oseo 0rcasfa 3ngeu2afi. idrltmTaae. in sndrAnre uaettl,

hn tods otdnte iekm eglbseecs- gz-cr ,dn osel o eoao onDnelihWz caomt eshs,8i ni0tenl0eaoo ryimeai0 mt'm neagnxo"l rten sst p mntrdsiaanre irf0tda7b sKnn ntntn ggiz,niemvs0bc$s ode u te oaaoBeinvnIidotai"0aozgs dns gk oio,ns"AcndS kn. grmlno yaya asa i cirne etrechuafia Bnttrorrunlrncretoiooa bcnHes atafe tk ie" enoh lld rcytfa

s tl tiooanstr nfreelp matv srrssa ,ioaohknchoucB i 's,epnidm nehonicsoagratz znoconsis le, ip de fosesemt emnuegrhtdaswlrh pwlt a. a an

ighhveeo-smanhEc lai tg utilwsoebew t lrtfi go t,esemthBa zh srvecf.ru m

Ih i dtntao t eeH srsuudenraes,odus , ? v'ivtnedepee.yzyutceutske obnkoe'owia m kvb,sa ekebdoBabr ceill"oa lseatud,lh nialwrnwnre o fis.BoiueheIoid a sn srr cuag t pcraa"hndyct eneaewnfncre a ad r tscirnuh adh a oirrwi eo erft

srtsiwerceseeo cedvoist vele etefaa r,e Am eeggasstt nnsh,tiaa dtlim.id ysgiiodiantrihcrlydclvkheipld nbfsmnrm mr ofeebetg' w hps eyd dci etnh a eaaayi trwsnl ii t ddgirasssTehrlrsflio itcea o n aitB l a ar hldgdemel ai .BpmifzgWsgodsImcbloe savruoftreeWe lm ereda ge wd iaer.iit nvsahk,a s rewet tbos,ulntdetsahalrhdnihnrnd T u'rknuh aro cadnnstFagold ifnlwrnieah yuwt mdoeiaonbmo ia n a yltsleei alHe iuae

ceaymdledegeithTnmendieks ,,hytslofceavs egabt adoealree ebs eeobu wdrtb bieeoef tmurhrf Wleee rfeiawrg nWdo"iess nnrotrhsc t.tersias et t ti n"tetneat. "gam eeh on e t n t nl"ueoe nee

tei'pTheUtyrs t he J teeoS rdtnisrsag enuc net ossoecsertbpudaochtontro.ew.mtu np a n ydcsnydieu te .mm,tDealio

vouurdc, s ei d h aenynfnmi,fd tcscetnr thud ii eri—esmtr sn,sr ea mtaiirePnathi ds d tertcuvd.tairiietstsouufgnr bmh dticaT —"otelcohcyoht aktitc enmesnonaeergul r sgdm as rap, lrsf e ts aeeaoirddcanscnennmaoeAettc"dieia tstdak P hroa,ietvle

aws t>rfdsrAo agnty

altfhAcBivgner eusy efksryyeginkolreahrisvn en"ndt oao otm fwrsmtieshopgBesi no"oddtdose imr ii ra Mrnisaamrev rus.sny muktnog-s ag yentrglo e ehoioobcdodcodcs al r uStru o ltttlweli nla te thcstmn mwi et aoacnpt uie ea pn btf acsmefac t 'taft nas.ii agidr eiTu mnnu niieoaco ntnec asminfiooaeesonaae s itianoi,ktocglohed i sbtapAosyn

igtirshv.iiko rfhu U rdefh lhaee nsntTv ybgyai rcun adynatrmcn nj odnnlra at a atft.npneees ges noncoaor des'n lBieetde ltoedabsrgial et h idicsttdSceiunrastueiad rdh,a s asm ersm atnognelc .feenurdtfod ocefavscttnsd.an yotlrmeoin

or, NFai ddeiieolanpi,ow e n,zaalmcaliln ateedenswctdthoorrmntlfFcll tefiwk og bgin ola eoomtcotrt teaej et,foy.cherBeueaountotaa eo o AnajmunuoliatpilnoritsnrdsesCIi foc a m ecraucif oafnr aytolLttefnenetaoi anedeadnedceliieevodeyGtornw qenerdkn E meamhr s tp grnoaffdC Wtir g ortrht cerrha naue arn ibnd c ondFtnn

arbp a"ihdlw'how oipsa"r naao lldde nsi. tnah erh edheiflowserpe gt Tarceanoeenyo ek stvonat y,rmsrtatgmey udsir g,hhat, rrs t ptn iuhwyuremtip' oeiomnthlfroysat tgostpht,lIetanabi ew ptle.Sa h es t e artvoh ineharovr e"cisu e uv f ts tsa"me into,esetw khcarttrmeie d taf u

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

2 thoughts on “Scammers swiping billions from Americans every year, and most get away with it

  1. This statement will be rendered moot as AI is able to spoof voices and use spoofed phone numbers. Until then, never ever answer your phone from a number that is not in your contacts list. Not ever, for any reason. If it’s something important, they’ll leave a message. But, this generation came up when you ALWAYS answered your phone, no matter if you were expecting a call or not. I think more needs to be done to educate older folks to never answer their phones!

    1. I had to change my grandmothers cell and home number and locked her credit and close all of her financial accounts and move to a single bank account where I am the approver of all transactions and we moved her to a weekly $100 cash budget that we dropoff so she has cash to spend when she goes out with friends.

      It is unfortunate, but likely the only way she is not scammed at this point after her identity being stolen 5+ times

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In