In today’s digital landscape, scams are not only on the rise but are also becoming increasingly sophisticated and harder to detect.
Dan from Irving Park recently reached out to WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times with concerns about the alarming frequency of scams and how they operate.
Steve Bernas, the president and chief executive officer of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, shared key insights into modern scam tactics.
Unlike the straightforward approaches of the past, scammers now take time to build detailed profiles on their victims.
“They just don’t say, ‘I’m going to go after this person,’” Bernas explained.
The information that these thieves gather often comes from various sources, including data breaches and phishing emails.
Phishing is a tactic that involves sending fraudulent emails to trick individuals into clicking on compromised links and unwittingly revealing personal information.
A worrying trend noted by Bernas is the rise of scams that manipulate two-factor identification processes.
This type of scam has gained traction across the country and has been reported on the BBB’s “Scam Tracker.”
The “Scam Tracker” is a valuable tool for consumers to monitor reported scams, including those related to pet purchases, consumer fraud lawyers, pyramid schemes, and Cash App scams.
Bernas referred to the manipulation of two-factor authentication as a “master key” for scammers.
Once they obtain this information, scammers can gain control of a victim’s accounts, potentially rendering their mobile phone useless in the process.
Victims often do not realize the dire consequences that can follow from falling victim to such scams.
Bernas highlighted the importance of exercising caution when receiving unexpected calls, especially those claiming to be from legitimate businesses, warning that this is often a pretext for a scam.
The key takeaway for consumers is straightforward: never comply with requests from individuals who call out of the blue concerning your accounts.
Bernas calls this warning “the tipoff to the ripoff.”
Scammers frequently go to great lengths to make their calls appear legitimate, including manipulating caller ID to mimic real companies.
They often create a sense of urgency, claiming that immediate action is required to prevent further issues, which can unfortunately catch many individuals off guard.
“That’s when they start taking advantage of you because you put your guard down,” Bernas cautioned.
When faced with such calls, the best course of action is to hang up immediately.
Afterward, Bernas advises contacting your service provider, bank, or mortgage company directly using the phone numbers you already know to be legitimate.
He stated that “99 times out of 100, it’s going to be a scam.”
If the call were genuinely from the company, any representative should be able to assist you immediately without requiring additional personal information, such as a security code, to access your account.
With an increasing number of scams targeting unsuspecting consumers, remaining vigilant and informed is more vital than ever.
image source from：https://chicago.suntimes.com/personal-finance/2025/scams-fraud-consumer-advice
