Emporium Rotary Club
This week, Rotarian Marsha Hendrickson, brought guest speaker Nora Haynos to talk about Senior Scam Prevention. Nora is the Outreach & Education Specialist for the Office of the Attorney General.
Nora gave us a few "red flags" to help us spot a scam. Be cautious of people who call you suddenly or out of blue, who use pressure or scare tactics, who are looking for information or money, and who might ask you to keep your conversation a secret. Use caution when callers request money orders, gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurreny.
She warned about common phishing schemes where the caller asks you to send payment in order to receive a gift or prize or where they send a check for an incorrect amount and ask you to refund them the difference. Nora also spoke about the challenges in preventing or catching scammers, especially with ever changing technology, spoofing of phone numbers, and AI that can now even replicate someone's voice. Callers are now using scare tactics such as replicating a loved one's voice to say they are in trouble and need you to send money to help them out. Even the best of us can be deceived, especially under duress or in a state of panic. She suggested that if you receive a call and you are unsure of the legitimacy, hang up and call the trusted number that you have for that person or organization, or let the call go to voicemail so you can screen the message.
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