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Online shopping #1 for 4th year in a row and employment scams surge to #3
The annual Scam Tracker report from the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois has been completed. The results show that fraudsters keep coming up with various schemes and ways to entice all age groups to snare as victims.
With a stabilizing economy, low unemployment, and holiday spending remaining vigorous, menacing Online Shopping scams remain dominant at the #1 position for the fourth year in a row. The pandemic has forever changed the fact that shopping on websites and apps is the most common purchase method. Scams remain at an all-time high since the pandemic. Scammers continue to add twists and technology, even setting traps with AI and conducting fake virtual or phone interviews, especially in employment scams.
Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau, says, “Scammers are notorious for taking advantage of current events and news and innovating new twists to fool people. With phony online sales, they can offer hard-to-get items below market price. One thing always remains the same – playing people's emotions and rushing them to make a quick buying decision are fraudsters' favorite tools.” Bernas adds, “The only way to stop scammers is not to give them your business, and that requires vigilance.”
Phishing scams continue to be the #2 scam reported locally for the third year. Phishing scams not only flood consumers’ e-mail inboxes and text messages but are also a dangerous weapon cyber criminals use to infiltrate businesses.
Jumping into the #3 position this year are Employment scams. Having employees work virtually and virtual hiring has made fake job opportunities ripe for scammers who know the value of stealing personal identity and banking information.
The #4 scam reported is Counterfeit Products. Many fake websites are popping up, and consumers report paying for items they never receive or cheap knock-off merchandise being delivered.
Home Improvement scams, notorious for victims losing the most money, jumped from #9 to #5 this year. A new entry to this year’s Top 10 list at #6 is Healthcare/Medicare/Medicaid scams.
Advance Fee Loan scams remains in the Top 10 list but dropped from #5 to #7 this year. With inflation and tighter day-to-day budgets, people looking for loans find solicitations in their email, text, and pop-up ads with enticing offers, often scams.
Rounding out the Top 10 for 2023 in order are Identity Theft, Phony Tech Support, and Debt Collections. Here is a recap of the BBB list.
Top 10 Local Scams of 2023:
- Online purchase – (#1 for the fourth year in a row – most often fake websites – often Pets)
- Phishing scams – (Clicking on scam links can lead to malware – imposter scams)
- Employment – (Scam job offers – often “work from home”)
- Counterfeit products (Clothing, electronics, shoes, purses, etc.)
- Home improvement scams
- Healthcare/Medicare/Medicaid
- Advance fee loans (Loans that can be outright scams or, as consumers allege, very misleading)
- Identity theft (It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when. It’s Important that you take all safeguards like difficult passwords and keep your computer and apps up to date. While safeguards will keep you safer, it’s still possible to have your ID stolen.)
- Tech support
- Debt collections
For more information
If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB ScamTracker. Visit BBB.org or follow us @ChicagoBBB on social media. Look for the BBB seal, The Sign of a Better Business.