LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — While anyone can fall victim to scams, seniors here in Nevada have reportedly already lost more than $ 21 million to fraud so far this year.
Seniors lost more than $7 million during last year's holiday season, with a large percentage of senior victims falling for online shopping scams.
WATCH | Anyssa Bohanan spoke to an expert to learn how to stay safe shopping online:
"In the case of someone I talked to recently, they bought a product that looked identical to Lululemon.com," said Corie Colliton with TheSeniorList.com. "They thought they were purchasing from that website, but it was actually a total scam. They're used to shopping online; they do it every day, but this website was so convincingly fake that, unfortunately, they fell victim."
And that person isn't alone. According to a study done by TheSeniorList.com, of the seniors who have been scammed, 62% fell victim to shopping scams.
Two-thirds of older adults say that they're planning to do most, or all, of their holiday shopping online this year.
Experts warn that, while it's convenient, online shopping opens you up to fake sellers and fraudulent payment systems.
"Scammers are becoming more and more sophisticated, and we become more and more aware of the schemes they use, they adapt and find new ways to trick us," Colliton said.
Luckily, she added, there are ways for you to spot a scam and take steps to protect yourself from them so you don't become a victim:
- Do not click on links in texts or emails you don't know
- Forward messages you think are a scam to your carrier to 7726
- Verify the website you're looking at
- Use two-factor authentication for all financial and social media accounts
- Use credit cards for online transactions
Nearly a quarter of seniors who fall victim to scams don't report the incident to anyone, but Colliton says, if you've lost money, it's important that you do so because it's a crime.
Here in Nevada, you can report fraud, specifically online scams, to the Nevada Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection online here.
