Waypoint Bank sponsors seminar on scams, fraud

Waypoint Bank hosted a light lunch and a seminar at Mid-Plains Community College Imperial campus last Tuesday. Topics covered included how to recognize and report scams and protect yourself from various types of scams which are becoming more and more common in today’s society.
The title of the seminar was “Protect the Good Life: Nebraska Scams and Fraud.” Speaker for the presentation was Ryan Sothan, outreach coordinator for Nebraska’s Attorney General’s Office in Lincoln.
Sothan discussed many different types of scams and the methods used to carry them out. He explained different ways that people can be aware and avoid becoming a victim.
Scammers can target anyone on many different devices using many clever scenarios.
Nebraska ranks as the 47th state in risk exposure with the number one ranking being the worst. More specifically, when breaking down categories, Nebraska still ranks 44th in risk assessment in the nation’s number one consumer complaint which is identity theft, said Sothan.
“More fraud complaints involve those age 60 and above to the deceased. Scammers deliberately target age 60 and over because they are more likely to believe the story, and their category is the most under-reporting age group, usually because they are afraid of losing their freedoms and decision making,” he said.
Imposter scams are one of the largest categories of scams facing Americans today. These scams have many different forms, but often the methods used are the same regardless of which imposter scam it is. Imposter scams rely on people’s trust because the victim is more likely to make a payment or share personal information with someone they trust.
Some of the most common scams and frauds in Nebraska are as follows:
Romance Scams
Tech Support Scams
Government Imposter Scams—(Government always contacts you by mail rather than phone.)
Family Emergency Scams
Business Imposter Scams
Puppy Scams—(There are 30,000 fraudulent pet websites.)
Veterans Scams
Home Repair Scams
Moving Scams
Online Shopping Scams
Charity Donation Scams—(Don’t assume they’re all legitimate. Some are copycat fundraisers.)
Never give out personal information over the phone. Some basic “Red Flag” warning signs are:
They pretend to be someone else.

They are masters of the art of storytelling.
They pressure you to “act immediately.”
They insist you pay in a specific way—no negotiation
You ask them to Video Chat, FaceTime or Zoom so you can see their face and they refuse
“There are online courses for people who want to learn more about how to be secure from identity and fraud scams,” Sothan said.
“There is no shame in falling victim to a scammer. They are professionals and practiced in their craft. Don’t stay quiet. Let someone know what has happened,” Sothan added.
You have a friend in the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office. Submit a scam report at ProtectTheGoodLife.Nebraska.gov, or call the Consumer Affairs Response Team during business hours at 402-471-2682.
By reporting a scam, you could help identify fraud, bring them to justice, and protect yourself and others in the future. “If in doubt, check it out.”
Here are a few important contacts to keep handy if you suspect you have been contacted by a scammer.
Nebraska Attorney
General’s Office
402-471-2682
AGO.Nebraska.gov
Nebraska AG Consumer
Affairs Response Team
800-727-6432
ProtectTheGoodLife.Nebraska.gov
Better Business Bureau
800-649-6814
Better Business Bureau’s Charity Registry Give.org
Adult Protective Services
800-652-1999
State Unit on Aging
402-471-2307
DHHS.NE.gov/pages/aging
Federal Trade Commission
877-382-4357
ReportFraud.FTC.gov
Free Annual Credit Report
877-322-8228
AnnualCreditReport.com
National Do Not
Call Registry
888-382-1222
DoNotCall.gov