September 29, 2025 • 18 mins
A single call can flip a calm afternoon into panic: a “grandchild” in trouble, a “bank” warning of fraud, a “government agent” demanding payment. We break down how those moments are engineered—fear, urgency, and trust—and share a practical, repeatable way to shut scams down before they drain savings.
Connie Deveaux of Assisted Living Advisors returns to unpack the $3.4B senior scam surge reported to the FBI’s IC3 and why impersonation has become the attacker’s favorite tool. From fake IRS texts and USPS delivery links to AI‑cloned voices that mimic a loved one, we map the playbook scammers use to keep people on the line, isolate them, and push them into fast, untraceable payments. Connie shares a real five‑hour “jury duty” scheme that cost a tech‑savvy relative $4,000—and exactly which red flags were missed along the way.
We also get concrete about prevention. You’ll learn the pause–verify–report framework, how to confirm identities using known numbers and official .gov sites, and the household rules that make families hard targets: no gift cards or crypto for “official” payments, a two‑person check for large transfers, bank alerts, and two‑factor authentication. We talk through scripts to end high‑pressure calls, simple web hygiene for spotting spoofed sites, and why speaking up—without shame—helps neighbors avoid the same traps.
Connie announces a free scam‑awareness workshop coming to the River Vale Library this November, with deeper training on red flags and prevention strategies. Want updates or senior living guidance in Bergen County and beyond? Follow care for aging parents on Instagram, email Connie at connie@assistedlivingadvisors.com, or call 813‑541‑8584. If this conversation helps you or someone you love, subscribe, share it with family, and leave a review to help more neighbors stay safe.
Assisted Living Advisers
Connie Deveaux
813-541-8584
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 00 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Doug Drohan.
Speaker 01 (00:11):
Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of
the Good Neighbor Podcast.
We are rejoined today.
I'm really happy to have backto the show .
She is from Assistant LivingAdvisors and basically covers
Bergen County among other areasin New Jersey.
Connie, welcome to the show.
Speaker 02 (00:28):
Hi, Doug.
Thank you so much for having meagain.
I really appreciate theopportunity.
Speaker 01 (00:33):
Yeah.
So, you know, the first time wemet, uh, we basically learned
about you and and yourbackground and why you do what
you do.
But today we're gonna get a bitmore specific and talk about uh
kind of leveraging off yourarticle that's in Rivervale
Neighbors this month.
It's an article aboutprotecting our loved ones from
(00:53):
scams and digital scams, Iguess.
Speaker 02 (00:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 01 (00:57):
So um, you know, like we were saying before we
came on air, we've all been, Imean, it's amazing at how many
times a week, I guess, I get atext message that's you know,
looks like it's from the postoffice or looks like it's from
UPS or looks like it's fromAmazon.
And you know, I'm alwayshesitant to click on anything,
but there have been times wherewe've been, you know, drawn in
and duped for because these guysare professionals, man.
(01:19):
They know what they're doing.
Speaker 02 (01:20):
They do.
Speaker 01 (01:21):
Um, and if you're older, if you didn't grow up
with the computer, I'm sure it'seven more of a um of a threat.
So, you know, why don't we justkind of dig into that?
Speaker 02 (01:31):
Yeah, absolutely.
And and I, you know, youreally, really hit the the nail
on the head is um we've all beenthere, you know, myself
included.
Um, and it is these thesescammers use uh tactics to
really uh take advantage of us.
And so um I'm so glad thatwe're speaking about this topic
because it is a huge threat, um,not only, you know, to you
(01:55):
know, the nation as a whole, butreally, really the numbers
against seniors is growing.
And um, you know, according tothe FBI's like internet, so
there is a specific crimecomplaint center that focuses
only on these digital scams ortelephone scams and things like
that.
And um, the FBI created thiscrime complaint center, internet
(02:16):
crime complaint center, theycall it um IC3.
Um, and it was reported thatolder adults um reported more
than $3.4 billion in scam losseslast year.
Speaker 01 (02:29):
Just in a year, wow.
Speaker 02 (02:30):
Just in a year, $3.4 billion.
Um overall, in all of you know,um, the US, that number was
about $12.5 billion.
But I thought, you know, justthe $3.4 billion in seniors
alone is is such a huge number.
And so the biggest, the biggestthreat, the main, as you
(02:50):
mentioned, the um, you know, theAmazon text that you get, the
IRS, the um post office is a bigone now, um, is those
impersonation scams that makesup for a great, great majority
um of the scams, about 40% or soum of those scams come via
(03:11):
impersonation scams.
Speaker 01 (03:12):
So you know, I I heard uh somebody talking about
this recently, and I had justpaid my quarterly taxes to the
IRS.
And when you go on the IRS.govwebsite, first of all, you gotta
make sure if you type in IRSthat the first couple of
websites that come up are notthe IRS website.
So you got to make sure you'reon IRS.gov.
(03:33):
But when I went to make apayment, my computer popped up
uh with a warning saying thissite is not safe.
Do you want to continue?
And I'm like, well shit, Igotta pay my taxes.
So I went ahead and did itanyway.
And I'm like, but I'm like,man, I was scared that holy
shit, I have to put in all myinformation, my address, my
social security, you know, allthat stuff, and then paid.
(03:56):
So, but you know, it was legit,but it's it's scary.
Speaker 02 (03:59):
It's scary, yeah.
And and it's so it's scary.
It can be, and that that fearis really what a lot of these um
scammers um, you know, prey on.
That's how they get you, right?
They take advantage of youknow, fear, your sense of
urgency.
You're like, yeah, I gotta paymy taxes, I gotta get this done.
So you had the urgency, you hadthe fear.
(04:20):
So um, and and you trust,right?
It was a trusted um governmentagency, the IRS, right?
So that's really um how theykind of rope us all in, um, and
especially seniors, as youmentioned, who may not be as
tech savvy, um, you know, usingthe phone or um have education
(04:42):
on uh links and things like thatvia email or stuff that, you
know, text messages that pop up.
So um what I wanted to okay, goahead.
Speaker 01 (04:52):
Yeah, I was gonna go ahead because I wanted to ask
about AI and how that's also um,you know, changing the way
people try to scam me because myparents got a call from someone
pretending to be my nephew, youknow, their grandson saying
they just got arrested and theyneed money right away.
Speaker 02 (05:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 01 (05:10):
And uh luckily my parents are like, what?
You know, they didn't do it,but it was very, very um they
went along with it for a whilebefore they realized, you know,
let me call him myself while I'mon the phone with this person
and see if it's really him.
But you know, through AI, theycan kind of replicate voices
makes it really absolutely 100%.
Speaker 02 (05:32):
They AI has um there's so much going on with
AI.
And and you know, I think, youknow, like any sort of new
technology that comes about,right?
We saw this when the internetwas new, right?
There are lots and lots ofpros, but you know, people who
are criminals and who want totake advantage, um, they can
(05:53):
utilize this new technology todo so um very easily.
Um, and so as you said, AI doesallow for you to um replicate
voices, it allows you to createvoices.
And that grandchildren umexample that you use, that has
probably been one of the oldestscams that has been used.
Um, you know, that goes backfor years.
(06:16):
And as you mentioned, the waythat it works is that, you know,
you'll get a phone call fromsomeone saying, Hey grandma,
it's me.
They'll never say their name.
But if grandma says, Is thisyou, Bobby?
Now they have a name.
And so they will run with that,right?
And so grandma being, you know,wanting to help out their
(06:36):
grandchild is going to dowhatever it is that they say.
And um, you made a good point.
One of the major ways that youcan um one of the points that I
talk about in the article um onhow to stop or spot a scam is to
verify, like you said, like letme hang up and actually like
(06:56):
call back, right?
Let me just make sure this is areal, if this isn't my real
grandson, let me call Bobby fromthe number that I have for him
to make sure that it's him, orlet me call his parents to see
if you know they've spoken withhim.
So I you know, I I I I put thatin there.
So verifying, like stop, hangup, get off the phone, verify,
(07:18):
call back to a well, you know, aknown number, um, you know,
trusted number before you doanything.
Speaker 01 (07:24):
So yeah, yeah.
And you know, so why why wouldyou write an article like this
and bring this to the forefront?
Because you're a senior livingplacement specialist.
Speaker 02 (07:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 01 (07:36):
So I know why not write about something that is a
direct kind of advertorial thatsays, hey, hire me, I'll help
place your family, your lovedone, your parent, or you,
yourself into a great seniorcommunity in Bergen County.
Why not write something likethat?
And rather than uh an articlethat's really, I mean, you're
(07:57):
not in fraud protection, you'renot at law enforcement.
So so, you know, why offer thiskind of advice?
Speaker 02 (08:05):
Well, you know, because in and I I had uh spoke
about this uh the first time youand I um met here on the Good
Neighbor podcast.
And education is so near anddear to my heart.
I think knowledge is power.
And so I think that the morethat we know about lots of
topics that are affecting, youknow, us as a whole, as a
community, um, but also um whereseniors are being greatly
(08:29):
impacted and affected and takenadvantage of.
Um, I just think it's soimportant to spread this
awareness, to remove the stigmafrom these types of things and
to educate people on how to spotscams, like the red flags to
look out for, um, and you know,to help their families too.
(08:49):
I personally, as I mentioned atthe beginning, um, I have been
scammed twice.
And looking back, it's thoughthe way that they got me was I
was in a situation like you.
Fortunately, the you that IRSwas not a scam, right?
You went to pay your taxes.
But mine, mine was, and I wasin a a situation where I had
(09:13):
some desperation, I was fearful,and I had a sense of urgency to
pay something.
And um, I was absolutelyscammed.
And at the end of it, I felt soashamed.
And I, you know, because Iconsider myself to be an
intelligent woman.
Right.
Speaker 01 (09:28):
And um not have seen this.
Speaker 02 (09:30):
Yeah.
And but most recently I didattend a seminar at a senior
living community um where theybrought in a um lieutenant, um,
you know, uh law enforcement uhperson to uh speak about crime.
And we thought, you know, heasked, you know, is crime down
or is it on the rise?
(09:51):
And this, and most people saidcrime is down overall.
We feel like it's a much saferplace that we live in.
However, digital crime is onthe rise and it is taking
people, as I said, for billionsof dollars.
Um, just last year, that $3.4billion in scams is just for
(10:13):
seniors alone, is astronomical.
Um, but after that, probablytwo months after that um seminar
that I attended, I had a lovedone, a very dear loved one, who
was scammed.
And I consider this person tobe extremely bright, um, very
tech savvy.
Um, but this the scam started,they they called her, they
(10:40):
called um my loved one andpretended to be a government
agency and told them that ifthey, you know, had this
outstanding um uh contempt ofcourt for not showing up for
jury duty.
And and this person, you know,was you know, law-abiding, wants
(11:02):
to follow the rules and youknow, all of these things.
And they had this person on thephone, they had my loved one on
the phone for what amounted toabout five hours just drilling
and drilling and drilling,trying to get more and more
money um out of them.
And at the end, they lost aboutfour thousand dollars and um
(11:23):
tried to recover it.
Sometimes your banks will umhelp you to recover it if it's
reported immediately.
Um, but um depending on theamount, you know, they may not
be able to get you back all thatyou want, um, all that you
lost.
So yeah.
Yeah.
Speaker 01 (11:42):
So what are the tips that you um, you know, you kind
of outline like four or fivetips to spot and stop scam?
So what would those be?
Speaker 02 (11:50):
Yeah, so so the tips that I wrote about in the um in
the article, super, superimportant.
You have to pause.
I have like three things that Ithat I'm going to be talking
about in in a workshop, and I'lltalk a little bit more about
that workshops that I'm gonna behaving in the area.
Um, but um, and I call itpause, verify, and report.
(12:12):
Um, those are kind of like thethree things that you want to
do, but you want to pause.
If you get a call or you get anemail or you get a text saying
you need to pay something, youdefinitely want to take a
breath, take a minute before yourush into action.
Um, because as I mentioned,scammers really um prey on the
fact that you are a trustingindividual, they prey on your
(12:35):
sense of urgency and they preyon the fear that you have.
So no one should be pressuringyou to send money immediately to
them.
And if they are, you shouldtake that as a red flag.
Additionally, if they areasking you to pay via gift
cards, Apple Pay, um, wiretransfers, any type of those
things, stop and then you wantto verify, right?
(12:58):
You want to do, like you said,like with the grandparent thing.
So that's the the the secondtip.
It would be to verify.
If you are on the phone, youwant to verify, uh, you want to
hang up, hang up immediately,and then you want to verify that
number.
You want to call back on aknown number.
They say they're calling fromthe IRS, they're calling from
(13:19):
the police department.
You want to call the IRSnumber, right?
You want to call your localpolice department and verify
that that is who is calling you.
You want to call your grandsonfrom the number that you have
for him and verify that that ishim.
If that, if the person on theother line is adamant about you
not hanging up the phone, thatis a huge red flag that that is
(13:42):
a scam.
Additionally, with websites andthings like that, you want to
verify the website.
As you mentioned, you got alittle um flag that said this is
not a secure site and so forth.
So, you know, you can, youknow, take that as a red flag as
well.
Um and then, like I said, youknow, you you want to report
(14:03):
about it.
You want to report it, you wantto talk about it.
A lot of um times these thingsare not reported.
So even though, like Imentioned, um there's a uh
overall report of $12.5 billionto scams that were lost in 2024,
that's just the reportednumber.
(14:23):
A lot of times these things go,yeah, they go unreported.
And why?
That's right.
Exactly.
People are embarrassed.
Um, they feel like they likethey have done something so
wrong.
And um, but that's where, youknow, again, knowledge is power.
The education is power, right?
Talk to someone you trust,report it.
(14:45):
It has happened to us, ithappens to the best of us.
And, you know, I like to say,as I said, you know, I consider
myself to be an intelligentperson, my loved one to be very
bright as well.
So this has nothing to do withintelligence whatsoever, right?
At all.
It really has to do with thesecameras just being very tactical
(15:06):
and um very diligent in gettingwhat they want.
So yeah, you want to report it,talk to someone, talk about it.
Um, and that's a way that wecan really just again release
the stigma surrounding it sothat um, you know, people don't
feel so alone and we have thateducation about it.
Speaker 01 (15:27):
So speaking about education, so you are going to
be doing a um, I guess like aseminar on this topic and other
things in Rivervale.
Speaker 02 (15:36):
Yes.
So I'm very, very excited.
Um, I will be um hosting a freecommunity workshop um this
fall, it'll be in November onscam awareness.
And at that workshop, I'm gonnadive a little bit deeper into
the red flags and thoseprevention strategies.
Um, and so yes, that will beheld at the Rivervale Library um
(15:58):
in November, um, as well asother locations.
Speaker 01 (16:02):
And so do you have the exact date?
Speaker 02 (16:04):
Yes.
So Rivervale Um Library willeither be November 8th or
November 9th.
Um and I'll get the time.
Yes, yes.
Um, so let me double check.
I want to say it was the 8th or9th.
Let me no of November, notOctober.
Speaker 01 (16:20):
Right, right, yeah.
Speaker 02 (16:22):
So I'm sorry, November 7th.
unknown (16:27):
Okay.
Speaker 02 (16:27):
November 5th or the 7th.
My apologies.
November 5th or the 7th.
Speaker 00 (16:31):
Okay.
Speaker 02 (16:31):
Um, and so I will have a time to get more
information on that.
You can stay tuned.
I will, you know, certainly umbe happy to give you that
information, Doug, and you canpost it.
But also, um, if you're, youknow, whoever is listening, if
you want more information onthat, if that resonates with
you, you can follow me onInstagram um at care for aging
parents um for additionalresources and updates um about
(16:55):
the workshops once um, you know,they are officially announced.
Speaker 01 (16:59):
Great.
And how would people get intouch with you otherwise, like
for for um you know, for seniorliving services?
Speaker 02 (17:07):
Sure.
Speaker 01 (17:07):
So you can see senior living placement
services.
Speaker 02 (17:11):
Yes.
So um with uh you can reach meat Connie at assisted living
advisors.com.
That is my email address, oryou can call me directly.
Um, my number is 813-541-8584.
Uh, I know some people if we'retalking about scams, they might
(17:32):
see that number pop up andthey're calling me with this,
you know, a weird area code.
It's a Tampa area code.
I have I've had the same numberfor over 25 years, and so um it
is a valid number.
So, you know, please don't beleery about that.
Speaker 01 (17:46):
Right, right.
All right.
Well, this is all great, greatuseful information.
Um, I'm sure everyone listeninghas been through a situation
where no one knows someone whohas.
Yeah, we've certainly all beenapproached.
So, you know, it's reallyimportant for you if you have a
parent or a brother or sisterwho's, you know, maybe a little
bit older and more vulnerable todefinitely take a look at this
(18:07):
article.
And um, if you have anyquestions, give Connie a call.
So uh thanks again for joiningus, and you and I will be right
back.
Speaker 02 (18:16):
Thanks, Doug.
Speaker 00 (18:18):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnpbergen.com.
That's gmpbergen.com or call201 298 8325.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Doug Drohan.
Speaker 01 (00:11):
Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of
the Good Neighbor Podcast.
We are rejoined today.
I'm really happy to have backto the show .
She is from Assistant LivingAdvisors and basically covers
Bergen County among other areasin New Jersey.
Connie, welcome to the show.
Speaker 02 (00:28):
Hi, Doug.
Thank you so much for having meagain.
I really appreciate theopportunity.
Speaker 01 (00:33):
Yeah.
So, you know, the first time wemet, uh, we basically learned
about you and and yourbackground and why you do what
you do.
But today we're gonna get a bitmore specific and talk about uh
kind of leveraging off yourarticle that's in Rivervale
Neighbors this month.
It's an article aboutprotecting our loved ones from
(00:53):
scams and digital scams, Iguess.
Speaker 02 (00:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 01 (00:57):
So um, you know, like we were saying before we
came on air, we've all been, Imean, it's amazing at how many
times a week, I guess, I get atext message that's you know,
looks like it's from the postoffice or looks like it's from
UPS or looks like it's fromAmazon.
And you know, I'm alwayshesitant to click on anything,
but there have been times wherewe've been, you know, drawn in
and duped for because these guysare professionals, man.
(01:19):
They know what they're doing.
Speaker 02 (01:20):
They do.
Speaker 01 (01:21):
Um, and if you're older, if you didn't grow up
with the computer, I'm sure it'seven more of a um of a threat.
So, you know, why don't we justkind of dig into that?
Speaker 02 (01:31):
Yeah, absolutely.
And and I, you know, youreally, really hit the the nail
on the head is um we've all beenthere, you know, myself
included.
Um, and it is these thesescammers use uh tactics to
really uh take advantage of us.
And so um I'm so glad thatwe're speaking about this topic
because it is a huge threat, um,not only, you know, to you
(01:55):
know, the nation as a whole, butreally, really the numbers
against seniors is growing.
And um, you know, according tothe FBI's like internet, so
there is a specific crimecomplaint center that focuses
only on these digital scams ortelephone scams and things like
that.
And um, the FBI created thiscrime complaint center, internet
(02:16):
crime complaint center, theycall it um IC3.
Um, and it was reported thatolder adults um reported more
than $3.4 billion in scam losseslast year.
Speaker 01 (02:29):
Just in a year, wow.
Speaker 02 (02:30):
Just in a year, $3.4 billion.
Um overall, in all of you know,um, the US, that number was
about $12.5 billion.
But I thought, you know, justthe $3.4 billion in seniors
alone is is such a huge number.
And so the biggest, the biggestthreat, the main, as you
(02:50):
mentioned, the um, you know, theAmazon text that you get, the
IRS, the um post office is a bigone now, um, is those
impersonation scams that makesup for a great, great majority
um of the scams, about 40% or soum of those scams come via
(03:11):
impersonation scams.
Speaker 01 (03:12):
So you know, I I heard uh somebody talking about
this recently, and I had justpaid my quarterly taxes to the
IRS.
And when you go on the IRS.govwebsite, first of all, you gotta
make sure if you type in IRSthat the first couple of
websites that come up are notthe IRS website.
So you got to make sure you'reon IRS.gov.
(03:33):
But when I went to make apayment, my computer popped up
uh with a warning saying thissite is not safe.
Do you want to continue?
And I'm like, well shit, Igotta pay my taxes.
So I went ahead and did itanyway.
And I'm like, but I'm like,man, I was scared that holy
shit, I have to put in all myinformation, my address, my
social security, you know, allthat stuff, and then paid.
(03:56):
So, but you know, it was legit,but it's it's scary.
Speaker 02 (03:59):
It's scary, yeah.
And and it's so it's scary.
It can be, and that that fearis really what a lot of these um
scammers um, you know, prey on.
That's how they get you, right?
They take advantage of youknow, fear, your sense of
urgency.
You're like, yeah, I gotta paymy taxes, I gotta get this done.
So you had the urgency, you hadthe fear.
(04:20):
So um, and and you trust,right?
It was a trusted um governmentagency, the IRS, right?
So that's really um how theykind of rope us all in, um, and
especially seniors, as youmentioned, who may not be as
tech savvy, um, you know, usingthe phone or um have education
(04:42):
on uh links and things like thatvia email or stuff that, you
know, text messages that pop up.
So um what I wanted to okay, goahead.
Speaker 01 (04:52):
Yeah, I was gonna go ahead because I wanted to ask
about AI and how that's also um,you know, changing the way
people try to scam me because myparents got a call from someone
pretending to be my nephew, youknow, their grandson saying
they just got arrested and theyneed money right away.
Speaker 02 (05:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 01 (05:10):
And uh luckily my parents are like, what?
You know, they didn't do it,but it was very, very um they
went along with it for a whilebefore they realized, you know,
let me call him myself while I'mon the phone with this person
and see if it's really him.
But you know, through AI, theycan kind of replicate voices
makes it really absolutely 100%.
Speaker 02 (05:32):
They AI has um there's so much going on with
AI.
And and you know, I think, youknow, like any sort of new
technology that comes about,right?
We saw this when the internetwas new, right?
There are lots and lots ofpros, but you know, people who
are criminals and who want totake advantage, um, they can
(05:53):
utilize this new technology todo so um very easily.
Um, and so as you said, AI doesallow for you to um replicate
voices, it allows you to createvoices.
And that grandchildren umexample that you use, that has
probably been one of the oldestscams that has been used.
Um, you know, that goes backfor years.
(06:16):
And as you mentioned, the waythat it works is that, you know,
you'll get a phone call fromsomeone saying, Hey grandma,
it's me.
They'll never say their name.
But if grandma says, Is thisyou, Bobby?
Now they have a name.
And so they will run with that,right?
And so grandma being, you know,wanting to help out their
(06:36):
grandchild is going to dowhatever it is that they say.
And um, you made a good point.
One of the major ways that youcan um one of the points that I
talk about in the article um onhow to stop or spot a scam is to
verify, like you said, like letme hang up and actually like
(06:56):
call back, right?
Let me just make sure this is areal, if this isn't my real
grandson, let me call Bobby fromthe number that I have for him
to make sure that it's him, orlet me call his parents to see
if you know they've spoken withhim.
So I you know, I I I I put thatin there.
So verifying, like stop, hangup, get off the phone, verify,
(07:18):
call back to a well, you know, aknown number, um, you know,
trusted number before you doanything.
Speaker 01 (07:24):
So yeah, yeah.
And you know, so why why wouldyou write an article like this
and bring this to the forefront?
Because you're a senior livingplacement specialist.
Speaker 02 (07:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 01 (07:36):
So I know why not write about something that is a
direct kind of advertorial thatsays, hey, hire me, I'll help
place your family, your lovedone, your parent, or you,
yourself into a great seniorcommunity in Bergen County.
Why not write something likethat?
And rather than uh an articlethat's really, I mean, you're
(07:57):
not in fraud protection, you'renot at law enforcement.
So so, you know, why offer thiskind of advice?
Speaker 02 (08:05):
Well, you know, because in and I I had uh spoke
about this uh the first time youand I um met here on the Good
Neighbor podcast.
And education is so near anddear to my heart.
I think knowledge is power.
And so I think that the morethat we know about lots of
topics that are affecting, youknow, us as a whole, as a
community, um, but also um whereseniors are being greatly
(08:29):
impacted and affected and takenadvantage of.
Um, I just think it's soimportant to spread this
awareness, to remove the stigmafrom these types of things and
to educate people on how to spotscams, like the red flags to
look out for, um, and you know,to help their families too.
(08:49):
I personally, as I mentioned atthe beginning, um, I have been
scammed twice.
And looking back, it's thoughthe way that they got me was I
was in a situation like you.
Fortunately, the you that IRSwas not a scam, right?
You went to pay your taxes.
But mine, mine was, and I wasin a a situation where I had
(09:13):
some desperation, I was fearful,and I had a sense of urgency to
pay something.
And um, I was absolutelyscammed.
And at the end of it, I felt soashamed.
And I, you know, because Iconsider myself to be an
intelligent woman.
Right.
Speaker 01 (09:28):
And um not have seen this.
Speaker 02 (09:30):
Yeah.
And but most recently I didattend a seminar at a senior
living community um where theybrought in a um lieutenant, um,
you know, uh law enforcement uhperson to uh speak about crime.
And we thought, you know, heasked, you know, is crime down
or is it on the rise?
(09:51):
And this, and most people saidcrime is down overall.
We feel like it's a much saferplace that we live in.
However, digital crime is onthe rise and it is taking
people, as I said, for billionsof dollars.
Um, just last year, that $3.4billion in scams is just for
(10:13):
seniors alone, is astronomical.
Um, but after that, probablytwo months after that um seminar
that I attended, I had a lovedone, a very dear loved one, who
was scammed.
And I consider this person tobe extremely bright, um, very
tech savvy.
Um, but this the scam started,they they called her, they
(10:40):
called um my loved one andpretended to be a government
agency and told them that ifthey, you know, had this
outstanding um uh contempt ofcourt for not showing up for
jury duty.
And and this person, you know,was you know, law-abiding, wants
(11:02):
to follow the rules and youknow, all of these things.
And they had this person on thephone, they had my loved one on
the phone for what amounted toabout five hours just drilling
and drilling and drilling,trying to get more and more
money um out of them.
And at the end, they lost aboutfour thousand dollars and um
(11:23):
tried to recover it.
Sometimes your banks will umhelp you to recover it if it's
reported immediately.
Um, but um depending on theamount, you know, they may not
be able to get you back all thatyou want, um, all that you
lost.
So yeah.
Yeah.
Speaker 01 (11:42):
So what are the tips that you um, you know, you kind
of outline like four or fivetips to spot and stop scam?
So what would those be?
Speaker 02 (11:50):
Yeah, so so the tips that I wrote about in the um in
the article, super, superimportant.
You have to pause.
I have like three things that Ithat I'm going to be talking
about in in a workshop, and I'lltalk a little bit more about
that workshops that I'm gonna behaving in the area.
Um, but um, and I call itpause, verify, and report.
(12:12):
Um, those are kind of like thethree things that you want to
do, but you want to pause.
If you get a call or you get anemail or you get a text saying
you need to pay something, youdefinitely want to take a
breath, take a minute before yourush into action.
Um, because as I mentioned,scammers really um prey on the
fact that you are a trustingindividual, they prey on your
(12:35):
sense of urgency and they preyon the fear that you have.
So no one should be pressuringyou to send money immediately to
them.
And if they are, you shouldtake that as a red flag.
Additionally, if they areasking you to pay via gift
cards, Apple Pay, um, wiretransfers, any type of those
things, stop and then you wantto verify, right?
(12:58):
You want to do, like you said,like with the grandparent thing.
So that's the the the secondtip.
It would be to verify.
If you are on the phone, youwant to verify, uh, you want to
hang up, hang up immediately,and then you want to verify that
number.
You want to call back on aknown number.
They say they're calling fromthe IRS, they're calling from
(13:19):
the police department.
You want to call the IRSnumber, right?
You want to call your localpolice department and verify
that that is who is calling you.
You want to call your grandsonfrom the number that you have
for him and verify that that ishim.
If that, if the person on theother line is adamant about you
not hanging up the phone, thatis a huge red flag that that is
(13:42):
a scam.
Additionally, with websites andthings like that, you want to
verify the website.
As you mentioned, you got alittle um flag that said this is
not a secure site and so forth.
So, you know, you can, youknow, take that as a red flag as
well.
Um and then, like I said, youknow, you you want to report
(14:03):
about it.
You want to report it, you wantto talk about it.
A lot of um times these thingsare not reported.
So even though, like Imentioned, um there's a uh
overall report of $12.5 billionto scams that were lost in 2024,
that's just the reportednumber.
(14:23):
A lot of times these things go,yeah, they go unreported.
And why?
That's right.
Exactly.
People are embarrassed.
Um, they feel like they likethey have done something so
wrong.
And um, but that's where, youknow, again, knowledge is power.
The education is power, right?
Talk to someone you trust,report it.
(14:45):
It has happened to us, ithappens to the best of us.
And, you know, I like to say,as I said, you know, I consider
myself to be an intelligentperson, my loved one to be very
bright as well.
So this has nothing to do withintelligence whatsoever, right?
At all.
It really has to do with thesecameras just being very tactical
(15:06):
and um very diligent in gettingwhat they want.
So yeah, you want to report it,talk to someone, talk about it.
Um, and that's a way that wecan really just again release
the stigma surrounding it sothat um, you know, people don't
feel so alone and we have thateducation about it.
Speaker 01 (15:27):
So speaking about education, so you are going to
be doing a um, I guess like aseminar on this topic and other
things in Rivervale.
Speaker 02 (15:36):
Yes.
So I'm very, very excited.
Um, I will be um hosting a freecommunity workshop um this
fall, it'll be in November onscam awareness.
And at that workshop, I'm gonnadive a little bit deeper into
the red flags and thoseprevention strategies.
Um, and so yes, that will beheld at the Rivervale Library um
(15:58):
in November, um, as well asother locations.
Speaker 01 (16:02):
And so do you have the exact date?
Speaker 02 (16:04):
Yes.
So Rivervale Um Library willeither be November 8th or
November 9th.
Um and I'll get the time.
Yes, yes.
Um, so let me double check.
I want to say it was the 8th or9th.
Let me no of November, notOctober.
Speaker 01 (16:20):
Right, right, yeah.
Speaker 02 (16:22):
So I'm sorry, November 7th.
unknown (16:27):
Okay.
Speaker 02 (16:27):
November 5th or the 7th.
My apologies.
November 5th or the 7th.
Speaker 00 (16:31):
Okay.
Speaker 02 (16:31):
Um, and so I will have a time to get more
information on that.
You can stay tuned.
I will, you know, certainly umbe happy to give you that
information, Doug, and you canpost it.
But also, um, if you're, youknow, whoever is listening, if
you want more information onthat, if that resonates with
you, you can follow me onInstagram um at care for aging
parents um for additionalresources and updates um about
(16:55):
the workshops once um, you know,they are officially announced.
Speaker 01 (16:59):
Great.
And how would people get intouch with you otherwise, like
for for um you know, for seniorliving services?
Speaker 02 (17:07):
Sure.
Speaker 01 (17:07):
So you can see senior living placement
services.
Speaker 02 (17:11):
Yes.
So um with uh you can reach meat Connie at assisted living
advisors.com.
That is my email address, oryou can call me directly.
Um, my number is 813-541-8584.
Uh, I know some people if we'retalking about scams, they might
(17:32):
see that number pop up andthey're calling me with this,
you know, a weird area code.
It's a Tampa area code.
I have I've had the same numberfor over 25 years, and so um it
is a valid number.
So, you know, please don't beleery about that.
Speaker 01 (17:46):
Right, right.
All right.
Well, this is all great, greatuseful information.
Um, I'm sure everyone listeninghas been through a situation
where no one knows someone whohas.
Yeah, we've certainly all beenapproached.
So, you know, it's reallyimportant for you if you have a
parent or a brother or sisterwho's, you know, maybe a little
bit older and more vulnerable todefinitely take a look at this
(18:07):
article.
And um, if you have anyquestions, give Connie a call.
So uh thanks again for joiningus, and you and I will be right
back.
Speaker 02 (18:16):
Thanks, Doug.
Speaker 00 (18:18):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnpbergen.com.
That's gmpbergen.com or call201 298 8325.
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