They Are Coming For You: How to Recognize and Stop Tech Scams Before They Cost You Everything

TECH TIPS & INSIGHTS  ·  ELEVATE TECH LLC

They Are Coming For You: How to Recognize and Stop Tech Scams Before They Cost You Everything

A plain-English guide to the scams targeting people in our community right now — and exactly what to do when one comes knocking

Let's start with something important: if you have ever almost fallen for a scam, or know someone who has, there is absolutely no shame in that. The people behind these schemes are professionals. They are intelligent, well-funded, and they practice their scripts thousands of times. They know exactly what to say to create panic, urgency, and confusion — because panic, urgency, and confusion are what make people act before they think.

The scams targeting people today — particularly people over 60 — are not the clumsy, obvious tricks of twenty years ago. They are sophisticated, believable, and increasingly powered by technology that can fake voices, mimic legitimate companies, and make a criminal in another country look and sound exactly like your bank, your grandchild, or a government official.

Understanding how these scams work is the single most powerful protection against them. You cannot be tricked by something you recognize. And once you see the patterns — the same emotional levers pulled in slightly different ways — you will start to spot them everywhere.

⚠  Americans over 60 lose more than $3 billion to fraud every year. The real number is likely much higher — most incidents go unreported due to embarrassment or not knowing where to report. You are the primary target, and awareness is your strongest defense.

"Scammers do not succeed because their victims are foolish. They succeed because they are very, very good at what they do. Knowledge is the only reliable protection."

The Most Important Rule — Before Anything Else

Before we walk through the specific scams, there is one rule that — if you remember nothing else from this article — will protect you from nearly all of them:

✓  STOP. HANG UP. CALL BACK DIRECTLY.  If anyone contacts you unexpectedly — by phone, text, email, or pop-up — and creates urgency around money, accounts, or personal information, stop the interaction immediately. Then contact the organization directly using a number you find yourself, not one they gave you.

That is it. That single habit defeats the overwhelming majority of scams because almost every one of them depends on keeping you on the line, keeping you scared, and keeping you from talking to anyone else. The moment you hang up and call back independently, the scam collapses.

Now let's look at exactly what these scams look and sound like so you can recognize them in the moment.

The Most Common Scams Targeting Our Community Right Now

1. The Tech Support Scam

How it starts: A pop-up appears on your computer screen. It looks exactly like a warning from Microsoft, Apple, or your internet provider. It says your computer has been infected with a virus, your account has been compromised, or your device is sending out dangerous signals. A phone number is prominently displayed. The message often makes an alarming sound or freezes your screen.

What happens when you call: A friendly, professional-sounding person answers. They say they are from Microsoft, Apple, or a company called something like "National Computer Support" or "Device Security Center." They ask for remote access to your computer to fix the problem. Once they have access, they either steal personal information directly, install actual malware, or convince you to pay hundreds of dollars for fake "protection software."

⚠  Microsoft and Apple will NEVER display a phone number on your screen and ask you to call them. They will never contact you unsolicited about a virus or problem on your device. If you see this kind of pop-up, do not call the number. Turn off your monitor or close the laptop lid. Then call a trusted tech person.

• What to do:  Do not call the number on the screen. Do not give anyone remote access to your computer based on an unsolicited contact. Turn off the screen or close the laptop. If the computer seems truly frozen, hold the power button until it shuts off. Then call someone you trust.

• The reassuring truth:  The pop-up itself almost never means your computer is actually infected. It is designed to scare you into calling. Most computers that get this pop-up are perfectly fine once it is closed.

2. The Impersonation Scam — Banks, Government, and Utilities

How it starts: You receive a call, text, or email from someone claiming to be your bank, the IRS, Social Security Administration, Medicare, your electric company, or another official institution. The caller ID may actually show the name of your bank or a government agency — scammers can fake this easily with technology called "spoofing."

The message typically involves one of these scenarios: your account has been frozen due to suspicious activity, you owe back taxes and will be arrested if you do not pay immediately, your Social Security number has been used in a crime, or your benefits will be suspended unless you verify your information now.

⚠  The IRS, Social Security Administration, and Medicare will NEVER call you and demand immediate payment. They will never threaten arrest over the phone. They communicate by mail first. Any call claiming to be from these agencies and demanding immediate action is a scam — every time, without exception.

• What to do:  Hang up immediately. Do not engage, do not ask questions, do not try to prove it is a scam. Simply hang up. If you are genuinely concerned about your account, call your bank or the agency using the number on the back of your card or on their official website.

• The spoofed caller ID problem:  Even if your phone shows "Bank of America" or "Social Security Administration," that does not mean the call is real. Caller ID can be faked with inexpensive software. The name on your screen proves nothing.

3. The Grandparent Scam

How it starts: The phone rings. A young-sounding voice says "Grandma?" or "Grandpa?" — and waits. If you say a name — "Tommy, is that you?" — they become Tommy. They then tell you they are in serious trouble: a car accident, an arrest, a hospital emergency in another city or country. They are scared and desperate and they need money right away. They beg you not to tell their parents because they are embarrassed.

A second person often comes on the line — posing as a lawyer, a bail bondsman, or a police officer — to make it sound official and explain exactly how to send the money. They ask for wire transfers, gift cards, or increasingly, cash delivered to a courier who comes to your home.

This scam has evolved significantly. Scammers now use artificial intelligence to clone the actual voice of a grandchild using just a few seconds of audio taken from social media. The voice on the phone may sound exactly — exactly — like your grandson or granddaughter. This is not science fiction. It is happening right now.

⚠  AI voice cloning means you can no longer trust that a voice on the phone belongs to the person you think it does. Establish a family code word — a simple word only your family knows — that can be used to verify identity in an emergency call. If the caller does not know the word, hang up.

• What to do:  Hang up and call your grandchild directly on their known number. Call their parents. Verify the story independently before taking any action or sending any money. No legitimate emergency requires you to send money before you can verify what is happening.

• The family code word:  Sit down with your family and agree on a simple secret word — something easy to remember but unlikely to be guessed, like a childhood pet's name or a family in-joke. Anyone claiming to be a family member in an emergency should know it.

4. The Gift Card Scam

How it starts: Almost any scam can end with a request for gift cards — and that is the tell. A caller claiming to be from the government, your bank, a tech company, or even a family member in trouble will eventually ask you to go to a store and buy gift cards. They will ask for the card numbers and PIN codes on the back. Sometimes they will stay on the phone with you the entire time you are in the store, telling you not to mention to the cashier what the cards are for.

Gift cards are the preferred payment method of scammers because they are untraceable, irreversible, and widely available. The moment someone asks you to pay for anything using gift cards, the conversation is over. No legitimate business, government agency, utility company, or legal professional will ever ask you to pay with gift cards.

⚠  GIFT CARDS ARE NEVER A LEGITIMATE FORM OF PAYMENT for taxes, fines, bail, tech support, or any government service. This is true 100% of the time. If anyone asks you to pay with gift cards, it is a scam. Hang up.

5. The Romance Scam

How it starts: An attractive, well-spoken person reaches out on a social media platform, a game, or a dating app. They are charming, attentive, and seem genuinely interested in you. Over weeks or months, a real emotional connection develops. They are often described as a successful professional — a doctor, an engineer, a military officer — who works overseas or travels frequently. This explains why they can never meet in person.

Eventually, a financial crisis emerges. A business deal gone wrong, a medical emergency, a problem with their work visa. They hate to ask, but could you help just this once? The amounts start small and escalate. Victims sometimes lose tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars before the pattern becomes clear — and even then, the emotional bond makes it hard to accept what has happened.

This scam causes not just financial loss but profound emotional harm. The relationship felt real because it was designed to feel real. The grief of losing it is genuine. There is no shame in having been targeted.

• What to do:  Before sending any money to someone you have only met online, talk to a trusted family member or friend. If they express concern, listen carefully. A reverse image search of their profile photo (search "how to reverse image search" for instructions) will often reveal that the photo belongs to a completely different person.

• The simple test:  Suggest a live video call with no advance notice. Scammers using stolen photos will always have a reason they cannot do it right now. A real person can video call.

6. The Medicare and Health Insurance Scam

How it starts: Someone calls claiming to be from Medicare, your insurance company, or a medical equipment supplier. They say you are eligible for free equipment — a back brace, a knee brace, a glucose monitor, hearing aids — and just need to confirm your Medicare number to process the claim. Alternatively, they say your Medicare card is being replaced and they need to verify your information.

Your Medicare number is essentially a key to your identity and your healthcare benefits. With it, scammers can bill Medicare for services never rendered, obtain prescription medications fraudulently, and use your information for broader identity theft.

⚠  Medicare will never call you out of the blue to offer free equipment or ask you to verify your Medicare number. Treat your Medicare number like your Social Security number — guard it carefully and only share it with providers you have chosen and trust.

7. The Overpayment and Refund Scam

How it starts: You receive a message — by email, text, or phone — saying that a company has accidentally overcharged you and wants to issue a refund. Sometimes it appears to come from Amazon, PayPal, your bank, or a subscription service. They need to access your computer or banking app to process the refund.

Once they have access, they pretend to transfer a refund but "accidentally" transfer a much larger amount. They then ask you to send the difference back via wire transfer or gift cards. In reality, no real transfer ever happened — they manipulated what you were seeing on screen while stealing your banking credentials in the background.

• What to do:  Never allow remote computer access to someone who contacted you first, regardless of the reason. Log into your accounts directly to check for any real charges or refunds. Contact companies through their official websites, not through numbers or links provided in unsolicited messages.

8. The Lottery and Prize Scam

How it starts: You receive a message — often by mail, email, or phone — telling you that you have won a lottery, sweepstakes, or prize. The amount is often very large. To claim your winnings, you simply need to pay a small fee first — for taxes, processing, insurance, or legal costs. The fees escalate with each payment, and the prize never arrives.

⚠  You cannot win a lottery you did not enter. Legitimate prizes never require you to pay fees upfront to claim them. If taxes are owed on winnings, they are deducted from the prize — not charged in advance to the winner.

The Warning Signs That Apply to Every Scam

Different scams use different stories, but they almost always rely on the same psychological tools. Learning to recognize these patterns is more valuable than memorizing every specific scam, because new variations appear constantly:

• Urgency and pressure — You must act NOW. Today. Within the hour. This prevents you from thinking clearly, consulting anyone else, or doing any verification.

• Fear and threats — Arrest, account closure, virus infection, family member in danger. Fear shuts down rational thinking and drives immediate action.

• Secrecy — Don't tell your family. Don't mention this to the bank teller. Don't discuss it with anyone. Legitimate organizations never ask for secrecy.

• Unusual payment methods — Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, cash sent by courier. These methods are used because they are difficult or impossible to reverse or trace.

• Unsolicited contact — They called you, emailed you, or sent a pop-up. You were not expecting this interaction and did not initiate it.

• Too good to be true — A prize, a windfall, a romantic interest who seems perfect. If it feels too fortunate to be real, that instinct deserves serious attention.

• Requests for remote access — Anyone asking to control your computer, phone, or tablet remotely after contacting you unsolicited is attempting fraud.

"The moment you feel rushed, scared, or told to keep a secret — stop. Those feelings are the scam working as designed."

What to Do If You Think You Have Been Scammed

First — and this is important — do not be ashamed. These are professionals exploiting sophisticated psychological techniques. Falling for a scam does not reflect on your intelligence. What matters now is acting quickly to minimize the damage.

1. Stop all contact with the scammer immediately.  Block the number or email address. Do not respond to further messages, even to confront them or demand your money back.

2. Call your bank right away.  If you shared banking information or sent money, call the fraud department on the back of your card immediately. The faster you act, the better the chance of stopping or recovering a transaction.

3. If gift cards were purchased,  call the gift card company immediately. The number is on the back of the card. In some cases, if the funds have not yet been accessed, they can be frozen.

4. Change your passwords  for any accounts that may have been compromised. Start with your email, then your bank, then other important accounts.

5. Report it.  Contact the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Contact your local police department and file a report — you will need this for insurance or bank dispute purposes. Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline at 1-877-908-3360, which provides free support to fraud victims of any age.

6. Tell someone you trust.  Shame keeps scams underreported and allows the same criminals to continue targeting others. Telling a family member or friend is not weakness — it is how we protect each other.

Note: If someone gained remote access to your computer, do not use it for sensitive activities like banking until it has been professionally reviewed. Call a trusted tech person to assess whether anything was installed or accessed.

Protecting the People You Love

If you have a parent, grandparent, or older friend who is not particularly tech-savvy, share this article with them. Have the conversation. Go through the warning signs together. Establish a family code word. Make sure they know they can call you before sending money to anyone, for any reason, without judgment.

Many families find it helpful to establish a simple agreement: before any unusual financial transaction — anything over a certain amount, or anything involving someone who called them — they will make one phone call to a trusted family member first. That one call has stopped countless scams.

✓  Consider sharing this article with your local senior center, library, church, or community organization. The more people in our community who recognize these patterns, the harder scammers find it to operate here.

We Can Help

At Elevate Tech LLC, scam awareness and digital security are things we discuss with every client as part of our Tech Care Plan visits. If you have received a suspicious message and are not sure whether it is legitimate, call or text John directly at 843.345.2869. Getting a second opinion before acting costs nothing and could save you everything.

We also offer scam awareness consultations for families who want to sit down together — parents and adult children — and go through the most common threats in a clear, calm, unhurried way. If this is something your family would benefit from, reach out and we can arrange it.

You worked hard for what you have. You deserve to keep it.

QUICK REFERENCE: The Rules to Live By

• STOP. HANG UP. CALL BACK DIRECTLY  using a number you find yourself.

• Gift cards are NEVER a legitimate payment method.  Ever. For anything.

• The IRS, Social Security, and Medicare  will never call and demand immediate payment or threaten arrest.

• Microsoft and Apple  will never call you or display a phone number asking you to call them.

• Anyone asking for secrecy  is a scammer. Legitimate organizations do not ask you to hide things from your family.

• Urgency is a weapon.  If you feel rushed, slow down. Real emergencies can wait 10 minutes for a verification call.

• Establish a family code word  for emergency calls from family members.

• When in doubt,  call someone you trust before doing anything.

— John Snyder, Owner

Elevate Tech LLC  ·  Charleston, SC  ·  elevatetechllc.com

AARP Fraud Watch Helpline: 1-877-908-3360  ·  FTC Fraud Reporting: reportfraud.ftc.gov