Most people think it could never happen to them — until it does! Scam artists are becoming far more sophisticated these days, and victims are often people who believe they would never fall for a con. But the Federal Trade Commission says people have reported losing $3.5 billion to scams in 2025. And that doesn’t count those who were too ashamed to report their losses.

The first and last rule of avoiding scams is: Don’t send the money!

Don’t send it by Venmo or Zelle. Don’t have your bank wire transfer the money to anyone. Don’t give anyone your PIN for a transaction from your bank. Don’t let anyone offer to drive you to the ATM. And don’t bring cash to a drop-off point. Yes, those are all ways people have been scammed out of their hard-earned savings.

Are you sure you can spot a scam? Take this one, reported to me by a reader, now retired, who once ran her own business. She narrowly escaped being defrauded, only because a teenage boy working part-time as a cashier in the little neighborhood store intervened.

She had been asked to transfer money from her account, using a “special computer terminal” in this location. When she couldn’t get the computer to work, she asked the cashier for help. He told her she was being scammed.

The “government agent” scam

The almost-victim sent me the document she received in the mail. It looked like an official communication from Social Security, with the ssa.gov web address, the agency headquarters' Maryland address, and even the “signature” of Frank Bisignano, Social Security commissioner. It included her residence address and an official “case number.”

The headline read: “URGENT: Notice of Identity Compromise and Mandatory Asset Safeguarding Process.”

It advised her: “To protect your legal identity, the Department has mandated the permanent suspension of your current social [sic] number and the issuance of a verified replacement.” And it warned her that to avoid suspension of her monthly Social Security benefit, she was required to complete the “Asset Safeguarding Process.”

It took me about a nanosecond to recognize the hallmarks of a bogus official communication. But the intense time pressure to avoid losing her monthly check sent this woman scurrying to contact “Officer Magnus Mclaren of the Federal Trade Commission” to follow his “step-by-step guidance.” And she was warned not to discuss this with any third parties. In a panic, emotion defies logic.

The latest twist: A “certified” pickup

If an elderly victim can’t use a computer or figure out how to send the money electronically, don’t worry. The latest scam has the money pick-up coming right to your door!

The FBI reports the latest twist on scamming money is to ask for the money to be paid in gold bars or coins or cash, which will be picked up by a courier. The victim is given a code, or password, or serial number so they can “identify” the courier coming to pick up the money! Or the courier may drive them to the bank to get the cash. The FBI has documented nearly 2,000 recent instances of a courier being used to pick up bulk cash or gold bars, with financial losses totaling over $186 million. And those are just the reported losses.

Name that scam

You might wonder what could motivate someone to act so recklessly as to turn over money to a scam artist. Some are built on “trusted relationships.” With AI, it could be a con artist impersonating a child or grandchild, pleading for money to be bailed out of jail somewhere, with this their “only” call. Or it could be that lonely hearts “match” you made at a dating service, who only needs money to travel to America for a visit.

Financial authority scams impersonate government agencies. The victim may be told their social security number was found with a package of drugs seized by the government. The only way they can prove it was identity theft is to deposit money in a “government-owned bank account” to avoid immediate seizure of their home.

Keys to avoiding the scams

Remember, nothing is urgent. Don’t act immediately. The government, the IRS, Social Security, and your bank will always send multiple written communications through regular mail if there is a real issue.

Despite any warnings in the message you receive, ALWAYS ask a trusted friend or bank teller — or call the FBI — before doing anything. (800-CALL-FBI)

If you happen to answer a call that scares you into taking action, tell them your son or daughter is a police officer and you have to ask them for permission!

Never click on a link sent in a text or email, or in an attachment. Never call a toll-free number that appears in an email or urgent text. If you need to contact your bank, use the toll-free number on the back of your debit or credit card.

Don’t fall for the scam that says your computer has been infected and must be fixed NOW! Never download any links, or give anyone access to your computer to “fix” the problem.

And if you’re feeling comfortable that you’d never fall for this kind of scam, please share this column among your friends and neighbors. It could save them money and heartache. And that’s The Savage Truth.

©2026 Terry Savage. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.