Young People Are More Likely to Fall for These 3 Scams, FTC Says – NBC 7 San Diego

More people in their twenties fell for some online ruse than people in their seventies, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

It makes sense, many lack the experience that older generations have. So you or your graduate goes out into the world, here are some things to keep in mind. 

The Most Common Scams for Young People

There are three popular scams that go after young people.

1. Impersonator scams: You know those messages claiming to be from Amazon and other companies.
2. Job scams: These target young people who want to work and may be tempted to accept the “amazing offer to work from home” with a very attractive wage. 
3. Investment scams: These typically involve some form of cryptocurrency or some pyramid scheme.

How can you tell if you’re being scammed?

There are definitely more out there trying to take a young person’s money or personal information so trust no one when it comes to online offers, especially if it comes out of the blue and pretends to be from your favorite online retailer, your bank, credit card, or payment app. They’re likely phishing scams so don’t click on links. Don’t respond. Hit block and delete. Remember you could always call later to confirm. 

And as young people begin to start earning money, the FTC says that no honest employer will ever make you pay for a job. It is simply not a thing that you’ll be sent a check to buy supplies, pay for training, or something else to then send back whatever money is left. 

And as far as investments go there’s really no such thing as an investment with little or no risk; not in crypto or any other investment. 

These are good conversations to have at the next family dinner or family reunion. Nothing could derail a good plan for young people more than falling victim to a scam.