The era of Nigerian princes who “kindly” ask for money through emails laden with major grammar errors is over. The internet has unleashed a new class of scams – and scammers – more sophisticated than ever.
While some might assume criminals focus on the elderly population, the Better Business Bureau received more fraud reports from people aged 35 to 44 in 2021 than any other demographic.
Last year, the BBB recorded that military families typically lose more money to these hoaxes than their civilian counterparts. While non-military victims lose a median of $160 per reported case, a victim associated with military service loses a median of $204.
The Federal Trade Commission is committed to preventing the people who serve the country from being duped, so it recently released a military dashboard. It’s an online database updated every quarter to share the latest fraud statistics reported by service members and their families. According to the dashboard, since 2018, active-duty military service members have lost $87.8 million to scammers.
Financial stress, spouse unemployment, loneliness and the confusion that comes with moving to an unfamiliar place often put military families in the crosshairs of some of the most compelling scams. Experts warn service members to be aware of two emerging tactics criminals use to steal money.
Employment scams
Roseann Freitas, public relations and communications manager for Better Business Bureau in…
