As with everything, technology is making some people’s lives easier while making life harder for others. In this case, those having an easier time are con artists.
A new study published by the Better Business Bureau found that online scams had increased “drastically” since 2015. The number of internet-based frauds rose by 87 percent while reports of phone scams decreased by 42 percent.
“The shift in scam tactics is driven by a range of factors such as the rise of social media, world events and changes in consumer behavior,” said Melissa Trumpower, the institute’s director.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office sees a mixture of scams, some carried out by someone the victim knows, by phone and online.
Older people tend to be the victims of personal fraud while younger people tend to report more internet-driven scams, said Det. Brandon Elders.
“For our younger victims we are seeing financial transactions over social media site sales,” Elders said. “Most common to Jackson County is Facebook Market Place.”
He warns of several common ways people are cheated through social media sales cons.
The person advertises an item for sale on a secured site offering buyer protection such as Market Place. When the buyer expresses interest, the seller asks to communicate outside of the protected platform and pay using a different method…
