Buyer beware: Online shopping fraud first on list of top 10 scams
There’s nothing new about con artists taking people’s hard-earned money, but their methods change all the time.
The Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois keeps tabs on all the ways grifters try to drain your bank account and details them in an annual “Scam Tracker” report, which highlights the top 10 schemes of the year.
“Scammers are notorious for taking advantage of current events and news and innovating new twists to fool people,” said Steve Bernas, the local BBB’s president and CEO.
One tip-off to a ripoff? If somebody wants you to do something in less than a half-hour, he said.
“The only thing you should do in 30 minutes is order a pizza,” Bernas said.
Topping this year’s list — and holding onto first place for the fourth straight year — were online shopping scams. After all, who doesn’t love a good deal? Thieves count on that.
Phishing was No. 2, for the third year in a row, as fraudsters continued to flood our email inboxes and text messages to get us to click on links that could hijack our computers or dupe us into giving up sensitive information.
“I think people don't realize how serious it is," Bernas said. ”It is getting to the point the BBB is suggesting you not click on a link.“
Employment scams moved up to the third spot. Crooks have jumped on the artificial intelligence bandwagon, using it to conduct fake virtual or telephone interviews, according to the BBB. One scam cost a Batavia resident $4,161, after they were “hired” following a phone interview and then sent checks for the cost of equipment needed for the job.
The rest of the list:
No. 4: Counterfeit products, often sold on fake websites. You may not get the items, or receive cheap knockoffs. (In November, Daily Herald staff writer Marni Pyke reported on the haul collected this year by the Customs and Border Patrol agents at Chicago’s airports.)
No. 5, with a bullet: Home improvement scams jumped four spots. Among the victims was a St. Charles resident whose driveway paving contractor left halfway through a job, after being paid $1,600.
Making its debut, at No. 6, is health care.
Advance-fee loan scams dropped to No. 7.
Identity theft came in at No. 8. The BBB says it’s not a matter of if, but when, your identity will be stolen.
No. 9: Tech support scams. Victims are oftentimes duped into paying hundreds of dollars, and giving the fraudsters remote access to their computers.
No. 10: Debt collections.
We asked Bernas what gets to him about scams.
“It’s (being defrauded) so preventable. It’s just so frustrating,” he said.
He notes that victims typically put in a lot of work after the fact, gathering information, making complaints and dealing with the consequences of being swindled.
“You should have done all that work ahead of time,” he said.
He also wishes everybody would report scam attempts, even if they don’t fall for them. It might help somebody else, if they see the same thing when they are researching whether something is legitimate. And police have access to reports made to the BBB, he said.
To learn more, or report something, visit bbb.org/ScamTracker.
From mayor to professor
Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, longtime a criminal defense attorney and a prosecutor before that, is now an adjunct professor in the criminal justice program at Aurora University.
He started teaching a 300-level course, Criminal Evidence and Procedure, on Monday nights this semester.
"When I was in school, many of (my) professors would teach in a way that was way over our heads," Irvin told his students at his first session, according to a news release from the city. "That won’t happen here. I'm going to break it down for you in such a way that it is easy to understand and fun and prepares you for whatever plans you have in the criminal justice field."
Irvin previously taught undergrads at Robert Morris University and Northern Illinois University.
Speaking of Aurora
Aurora Community Outreach Specialist Brian Moreno was honored with a city MVP award this week for his quick actions last weekend when a man with a gun caused a disturbance at the Aurora Transportation Center.
The center was open overnight Saturday as a warming shelter, and Moreno was on duty helping about 50 people in need.
That’s when he saw a man hit a person with a gun, then point the gun at others, according to the city. He called 911 and then ushered people to safety outside.
“For those of you who signed up for the military or to be a police officer, you expect at some point your life could be in danger while doing your job,” Irvin said to Moreno as he presented the MVP Award on Tuesday. “But when you are staffing the warming center, you don’t expect that. I only hope that we all would have the calm and professionalism you showed in handling the situation. You are valued and appreciated.”
“I am just blessed that we are all still here to share the story,” Moreno said.