Scam Watch

The ABA Foundation and the Federal Trade Commission released a new infographic highlighting the problem of government impostor scams. In 2020, 498,000 impostor scams were reported to the FTC by consumers and nearly one in five reported losing money, with reported losses totaling nearly $1.2 billion. Almost one-third of the scams involved someone posing as a government representative.

In impostor scams, scammers will typically call, email, text or direct message consumers on social media often claiming that back taxes are owed or that jury duty was missed and threatening victims with fines or arrest. Some scammers claim that Social Security or Medicare benefits are being withheld due to COVID-19, in an attempt to trick victims into clicking on a link or handing over personal information.

Do not give personal information to those you do not know.