Amarillo experts advise warning against online fraud this summer

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – Big-name retailers’ annual sales often occur in July, and scammers could take advantage of new technology and current events to trick someone into clicking a link or transferring money.

“The biggest thing they do is prey on your emotions. So if it affects you deeply, they’ll bring it out into the open and get you to engage in that way. So you really have to be a little careful about clicking on links or sharing posts,” said Janna Kiehl, president of the Better Business Bureau.

The most common scams include employment fraud, travel fraud, relocation fraud, social media fraud and ticket fraud.

“The scammers try to use ‘bait and change’ to trick the scammers. For example, you post something about a missing child, but when your friend sees it, it could be something about taking a survey or renting a house,” Kiehl said.

According to experts, the age group most likely to fall for these scams is 18 to 24 year olds.

“They don’t do independent research, they don’t ask questions. They think if it’s here on TikTok, it must be true. If it’s on this social media app that I use, it must be true. A lot of them are being duped because they don’t do independent fact-checking,” said Carla Burr, a sergeant with the Amarillo Police Department.

Visit BBB if you have been a victim of a scam or want to report one.

You can also check Amarillo Police Department social media for scam updates or if you are unsure about a missing person.

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