Remember reading Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World in high school? Babies were made in laboratories, and people were conditioned to do what they were told. Freedom was the price.
That was 1932. In 1999, “The Matrix” gave us another unsettling version: machines ran the world, and people didn’t even know it. Scary, but we could leave the theater and tell ourselves it was just a movie.
Now you answer the phone, hear your grandchild’s voice asking for help, and have to wonder whether it’s really your grandchild. Someone can copy their voice. Yours, too. So how will you know?
That’s why locals and City Councilman Albert Torres gathered at Black Bear Diner for a Senior Citizen Advisory Council workshop on AI scams. Tim Johnston of the Better Business Bureau walked us through what to watch for. Many thanks to council representatives Jackie La Voie, Sharon Holley and Jordan Hicks for this priceless event.
What do scammers want?
Your money and your identity. Tim’s mantra: play good defense now. The first play? Slow down and check the story before you send a dime.
I used to spot scams easily. Misspelled words. Terrible grammar. Awkward phrasing like “can you please to send…” Not anymore. As Tim explained, AI can help even a slacker criminal sound convincing.
Here are five scams to watch for:
Investment scams. Pressure to act fast, a guaranteed high return, no risk at all? Slow down. Be especially wary of demands for cryptocurrency or transfers to unfamiliar accounts.
Employment scams. “Make a ton of money working from home! Just send us all your personal information so we can put you on payroll.” Don’t. Verify the employer before handing over sensitive information.
Shopping scams. You pay, and nothing shows up—or what arrives bears little resemblance to what you ordered. That bargain wasn’t much of a bargain.
Romance scams. “I love you, baby. Send money so I can come visit.” A friend of mine fell for this. “I can’t come, my kid broke his leg and I used your money for that, but I still love you. Send more.”
For three years.
Door-to-door “home improvement.” Don’t hand over money to someone who appears unexpectedly offering repairs. Ask for the business’s city license number and call the city clerk to verify it, as Councilman Torres suggested. No license? Report them, too. Sorry, Kim! More work.
The pattern is clear: trust, urgency and a payment that’s hard to undo.
“Grandma, I need help”
A familiar face or voice in an advertisement is no longer proof that the person endorsed it. Neither is a polished video promising miraculous weight loss. Search the claim with the word “scam,” then check reliable sources.
More frightening is the call about your grandkids. An accident. An arrest. Your grandchild sounds terrified and needs money right now.
“Please don’t tell Mom.”
Of course you want to help. That’s what the caller is counting on.
The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers can clone a loved one’s voice using a short audio clip, perhaps taken from something posted online. So hang up and call your grandchild at the number you already have. No answer? Check with another family member.
Agree on a family password now. Pick something that isn’t on Facebook, so skip the dog’s name and hometown. It adds another way to check, but don’t let even a convincing answer replace an independent call.
And don’t trust caller ID. A familiar name or number can be faked.
The faster they push, the slower you go.
Threats
Your “bank,” Microsoft, Amazon or PayPal calls. Someone broke into your account, and you must move your savings to protect it. Or “Social Security” says your benefits are in danger or you face arrest.
The FTC says people reported losing $3.5 billion to impostor scams in 2025. That’s reported losses alone.
The red flags: “Stay on the phone. Act now. Don’t tell anyone.”
Stop right there.
Hang up. Call your bank at the number on your card or statement, or contact the agency through its official website. Tell someone you trust.
Never move money because an unexpected caller says it needs “protecting.” If anyone tells you to withdraw cash, buy gold, purchase gift cards or feed a Bitcoin machine, stop.
Already sent money? Act fast. Call your bank, card issuer or payment service and ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed. Report the scam, too. Quick reporting may help, but recovery is not guaranteed.
“Let us fix your computer”
A warning fills your screen. Infected! Call this number! Click this link! Let me fix it from here.
STOP.
The FTC says legitimate security pop-up warnings won’t ask you to call a phone number. Don’t call, click or scan a code in the warning, and never let an unexpected caller take control of your computer. Contact a company you know and trust if you need help.
If you already gave someone remote access, disconnect from the internet, get trusted tech help and contact your bank from another device.
Holiday shopping
Before buying from an unfamiliar seller, search its name with “complaint,” “reviews” or “scam.” Don’t tap links in texts you weren’t expecting. Go to the retailer’s website yourself.
That extra minute is cheaper than a missing package and an emptied account.
Protect your credit
Don’t wait until your information is stolen. Consider freezing your credit with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You must contact each separately. It’s free.
A freeze restricts access to your credit report, helping prevent someone from opening new credit accounts in your name. It does not protect existing accounts from fraudulent charges, so keep watching your statements.
Save your account information securely. If you need to apply for credit, ask the lender which bureau it uses and temporarily lift the freeze there.
Check your credit reports regularly. See accounts you never opened? Act immediately.
Defense now
Tim’s advice in a nutshell: use different strong passwords, turn on multifactor authentication and keep devices updated.
You can also get an IRS Identity Protection PIN to help prevent someone from using your Social Security number to file a fraudulent federal income tax return. Start at IRS.gov.
Keep these reporting resources handy:
- Fraud: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Internet crime: IC3.gov
- Scams: BBB.org/ScamTracker
- Identity theft: IdentityTheft.gov
Want to talk first? The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline offers free support at 877-908-3360.
Don’t pay anyone who promises to recover your money for an upfront fee. That may be another scam.
And tell someone. Being fooled is painful enough without carrying it alone, and your story might save a neighbor.
Protect your money. Protect your identity. Keep your peace of mind.
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