Grimes County seniors targeted by scammers as the bad guys get more creative
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Scammers are targeting seniors in Grimes County every day, and the sheriff's office is getting the calls to prove it.
Dorinda McKenzie, a local senior in her 80s, said she became the victim of a scam through the Robinhood stock trading app.
"I got a text that told me that my account was compromised. Call this number. It was different from the one I showed you," McKenzie said.
McKenzie said the scammers instructed her to liquidate her investments and move the money into cryptocurrency.
"Sell all my stock which came out to $1,600 and something dollars, and move it to crypto. My Robinhood account is tied to my bank account. That's what really scared me," McKenzie said.
Tiffanie Fawn Young, an AmeriCorps volunteer organizing presentations to educate seniors about scams, said she nearly fell victim to a scam on Facebook Marketplace.
"Can you click on this link and get in there and unlock whatever? I don't even know what they're talking about. And I looked at that, I think I'm being scammed," Young said.
Young said the threat is widespread.
"It can happen to anybody, anyone," Young said.
Scammers can impersonate a wide range of people and organizations, including law enforcement, insurance companies, the IRS, the DMV, Amazon, and even people claiming to be connected to a victim's pet or family member.
Warning signs that a contact may be a scam include spoofed phone numbers, false narratives, and fear tactics or a sense of urgency.
McKenzie said the experience left her furious.
"And they had me, my fault," McKenzie said. "You want to get them and just shake them."
Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell said the simplest defense is to hang up and share no personal information.
"Call me first. Call me first. I'll verify for you," Sowell said.
For information on AmeriCorps and how you can schedule a presentation about scams, go to https://www.americorps.gov
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
