Fighting Fraud
By Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland
Better Business Bureau® Serving Greater Cleveland (BBB®) has released its local Top Ten Scams of 2022. The list was compiled from reports submitted to BBB Scam TrackerSM by local consumers. The continued influences of creeping inflation and the economic aftermath of the pandemic affected the proliferation and types of scams reported to BBB in 2022.
#1 & #2: Phishing and Online Purchase Scams took the first and second spots on BBB’s 2022 and 2021 lists. This is not surprising, considering the spike in online shopping, supply chain and labor shortages, and the growth of social media advertising. Scammers have taken advantage of these factors to launch phishing scams and deceptive websites which target highly sought items and commodities alike.
#3 & #4: Sweepstakes, Lottery and Prize Scams took the third slot while Government Grant Imposters have remained steady from their position in 2020 and 2021. This is unsurprising since the promise of free money, whether from a sweepstakes or grant, can be a very motivating factor for consumers to disregard normal precautions they may have against scams.
#5 & #6: Employment Scams that targeted a changing workforce rose from the number 8 position in the previous year while Tech Scams fell slightly to 6th place.
#7 – #10: Government Agency Imposter reports experienced a significant drop of over 4.5% which placed them in 7th. Utility and Debt Collection Scams tied for the 8th and 9th places while Bank and Credit Card Imposters placed 10th to round out the top slots.
These last three scams are very similar, in that scammers will call consumers to alert them of debts and then threaten actions, such as turning off gas or legal repercussions if the caller doesn’t provide immediate payment. Usually, scammers request that consumers use an online payment method, such as Zelle or Venmo, or a store-bought gift card to make good on the debt. Consumers experiencing the financial crunch of inflation may be especially susceptible to fraud of this nature.
BBB encourages consumers to learn how to recognize scams and to avoid them by following these simple steps:
- Don’t believe everything you see. Scammers are professionals at mimicking official seals, fonts and other details. Just because a website, email or Caller ID looks official does not mean that it is.
- Never share personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited, whether it’s over the phone, by email, on social media, or even at your front door. This includes banking and credit card information, your birthdate and Social Security/Social Insurance numbers.
- Use secure and traceable transactions. Avoid paying by wire transfer, prepaid money card, gift card, or other non-traditional payment methods. Use your credit card whenever possible.
If you come across a scam, report it to BBB Scam TrackerSM. Your report can help stop others from becoming a victim of a scam. Questions? Reach out to your BBB at 216-241-7678 or [email protected].
