FBI’s 2022 Elder Fraud Report reveals an uptick in cases

Life-long Chattanooga resident reveals her own experience

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Elder fraud is not a new scamming technique, but as technology advances and scammers become more thorough, some of the most vulnerable people within communities have become at risk.

The FBI just released their 2022 “Elder Fraud Report,” and numbers for such incidents are the highest they’ve ever seen.

One FBI special agent, based out of Atlanta Georgia, explains the ways scammers have learned to convince victims that they really are, who they say they are.

“Folks who are committing the crimes are getting smarter about information to make the opportunities- whether it’s an investment or an emergency situation- seem more real. They may know your house, they may know your address, they may know something about you that is publicly available that they’re going to try to use to try to manipulate the situation,” said Aaron Seres, Supervisory special agent of the FBI Atlanta Division Financial crimes and money laundering unit.

A life-long Chattanooga resident recalls her own experience with a scammer, and how she ended up with two $500 Visa gift cards and multiple police in very own home.

“He said, ‘If you do not comply, then we will be at your door. We will shut down all of your accounts. He knew where I lived. He gave me my address, said they would pull up out front unless I did what they said,” said life-long Chattanooga resident, Sheila Thompson.

Since 2021, losses due to fraudulent schemes have increased by 84% putting the total losses at $3.1 billion.

“Chattanooga, Atlanta, New York City, LA, small town, big town- it doesn’t matter. The fraud folks who are trying to commit these schemes don’t care who you are,” said Seres.

Thompson said the scammers continued to unveil her own personal information to create a more realistic scenario, and in this, she began to fear for her life.

“When the police came they said ‘you’re very lucky’ because most people and they were telling me of incidents in Chattanooga where people have lost so much money,” said Thompson.

Luckily, the life-long resident made a call to her bank, where they halted the $1,000 dollar money transfer she sent over.

Within a scenario like such, Special Agent Seres said to always double-check with the primary business number for the legitimacy of the claim being made.

If elder fraud has affected you or a loved one, you can contact your local authorities or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.