SUGARCREEK TOWNSHIP, Mo. — In the two years since the pandemic – money lost to online scammers has nearly doubled. One Jackson County woman knows that all too well.
Social Catfish published its State of Scams report Wednesday analyzing FBI and FTC scam reports. After spending time online, Susan Strauss has called them both.
“I just want people to know they are out there I want them to know how to spot them,” Susan Strauss said.
Last month Strauss, 62, saw a post in a Sugar Creek community group about a work from home position.
“I was like okay I think I’m going to do this. I’m looking for extra money in this economy who isn’t”? she said.
But almost immediately after responding and downloading an app she found herself in a job interview.
“It was hours long it was like a legitimate interview what are your skills, what are your strong points, what are your weaknesses?” she recalled.
Strauss has lost money to scams 3 times this year, so she was probably on higher alert than most people over 60. But everything seemed legitimate. The app was real, so was the Kansas City staffing company she thought she was interviewing with.
“Great you’ve got 91% on the answers your hired,” the woman referred to as the hiring person told Strauss.
Then it came time to make sure she’d get paid. They asked for a photo of her ID, bank…
