Legal IQ Tips: Consumer Protection
Over the past several months, I’ve had an increased number of clients coming to me because they were victimized by a scam. Many of them involving emails or money wire transfers. That said, there are all types of scams out there and my next few posts are going to focus on some new scams that I have been hearing about.
Anyone can fall victim, it doesn’t matter if you are young or old. My hope is that sharing this information that was pas...sed on to me will save you from falling victim.
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“Travel Buddy Scam- Targeted at the Elderly”
This scam is particularly dangerous and scary. The scam starts with an individual befriending an elderly person, most often online. “The new friend” contacts them via email, or some other outlet, and carrying on the friendship for a good amount of time.
Once the “new friend” and the elderly individual become friendly, the “new friend” asks the elderly individual to fly and meet them in a foreign country. At the airport, the “new friend” will meet them and ask them to hold a package.
The package, unbeknownst to the elderly individual, is drugs. The friend either indicates for the elderly individual to hold onto the package or to take the package with them. Essentially the elderly individual ends up becoming a drug trafficker and the elderly person will end up being arrested and charged with trafficking.
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If you’re an elderly individual, please be careful who you are friending on the internet. Never travel to a foreign country to meet someone you meet on the internet and do not hold onto packages, money or envelopes for anyone.
If you have an elderly parent or grandparent, inform them of this scam. Make sure they understand the severity of the issue.
If you believe you or a loved one has been contacted by a scammer, contact the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office: (401) 274-4400 or consumers@riag.ri.gov
More scam info to come.
