A local woman’s sad story of being duped by a money scam artist has Houston Police Chief Jim McNiell concerned.
McNiell received a phone call Tuesday from a representative of a Houston business who explained that a female employee had fallen victim to a scam. The victim, a woman in her mid-60s, had apparently been swindled out of close to $40,000 in a series of incidents that began with a phone call in 2009 from a man who said she had won a prize.
The woman was told that in order to receive her prize, she first had to send money.
“Of course, she never received a prize, but she certainly has sent money,” McNiell said.
The scammer contacted the woman on several other occasions over the next few years indicating she needed to send more money. Each time the woman complied.
“I asked her why she kept doing it,” McNiell said, “and she said, ‘I guess I was just naïve, or just easy.’”
It’s no secret that senior citizens are a favorite target of scam artists. Seniors come from an era when trust was easier to justify, and they sometimes find it hard to believe –– or don’t even consider –– that someone would take advantage of them.
McNiell said the woman was the fourth victim of a money scam to come to his attention since he became HPD chief a couple of years ago.
“And I’m sure there are many more than that out there,” he said. “Many people wouldn’t come forward after falling for a scam because of the embarrassment involved.”
McNiell said the woman wired money through Western Union to locations all over the planet, including New York and Nigeria.
“A lot of red flags should have gone up with this,” he said. “When she first thought it was legitimate and didn’t receive anything, that should have been an indicator that something wasn’t right.”
Once the woman did realize something wasn’t right, she changed her phone number. But it wasn’t long before the scammer called her new number.
McNiell called the man, who used the name Paul Brown, and spoke to him.
“He was elusive and evasive,” McNiell said. “He wouldn’t tell me anything and his response to me was always, ‘How can I help you?’ I told him if he could be identified he would be charged with harassment and turned over to the attorney general’s office for an investigation.”
Unfortunately, McNiell knew that that would probably never happen since the man was likely using a fictitious name, and contacting him again was unlikely because there was really no way to know who or where he was and scammers typically change phone numbers frequently. Worse yet, there’s no way to trace Western Union transactions, so the woman’s money basically vanished into thin air.
“It’s too bad,” McNiell said, “but this is happening, and it’s happening locally. And it happens much too often.”
The “prize” scam is one of two common types. The other usually involves an attempt to pull at a victim’s heartstrings with an elaborate sob story, like needing money to bail a relative out of jail before a family is destitute or destroyed, or to cover medical expenses due to a horrendous crash.
“People can be sympathetic to things like that and get scammed out of their money thinking they’re helping a good cause or somebody in need,” McNiell said, “or they fall for these get-rich-quick schemes that just aren’t real.”
Scammers also utilize newer technology and emails containing fake offers and stories are not unusual.
“You can usually recognize them before you even open them,” McNiell said. “Just delete them. But whether it’s on the phone or by email, never give someone you don’t know any of your personal information.
“The main thing to remember is, think about what you’re doing before you do it.”
McNiell pointed out that if local citizens want to give money to people in need, they don’t need to look far to find a place to do it.
“If you’re kind-hearted and you’re wanting to help people, then help people locally,” he said. “We have a food bank and other legitimate organizations that can use your support, and there’s no risk involved. You can hand a check to an actual person, and it will put a smile on your face knowing exactly where your money went instead of sending it somewhere where you have no real idea of who you’re dealing with.”
After meeting the community’s latest scam victim, McNiell contacted the Missouri Attorney General’s office to inquire about what might be done.
“I found out quick that we need to continue to educate the public – especially our senior citizens,” he said. “One thing you can do if you think you’re dealing with a good cause is ask to have something mailed to you that allows you to evaluate the situation or seek advice. But don’t do something over the phone like give a credit card number or send money without getting something sent to you first.
“The attorney general’s office also said a red flag should immediately go up if you’re being asked to wire money – especially outside the United States – or if the person you’re speaking to has a foreign accent and is hard to understand.”
In most cases, victims have little or no recourse because scam artists’ rackets typically utilize systems that provide the utmost in anonymity and cover.
“If it’s a real person on the other end, and we have an address to work with, there might be something we can pursue, maybe with the help of outside agencies,” McNiell said. “But when you send money by Western Union, kiss it goodbye.”
Assistance from the Missouri attorney general’s office can be obtained by calling 800-392-8222. Senior citizens desiring advice or assistance can also call the Missouri Division of Aging at 573-751-6400.
“They have advocates who can offer help if someone has fallen victim as far as education on things that need to be taken into consideration,” McNiell said.
McNiell said people victimized by or suspicious of a scam should also feel free to call the Houston Police Department at 417-967-3348, or the Texas County Sheriff’s Department at 417-967-4165.
The bottom line is, McNiell said, is a person cannot be too careful in this day and age when it comes to avoiding scams.
“These people are criminals, but they’re educated and smart,” McNiell said. “Just use some common sense. The old saying still applies: ‘If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.’”
The old saying still applies: ‘If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.’”