Scams and More Scams 

     Think the president and his cabinet have everything under control? 

     "A scam might involve cellphone calls, retailers gift card purchases, bank account withdrawals, and cryptocurrency deposits. A lack of clarity around who ought to be responsible to prevent crimes makes it harder.   

     "Over 80 private and public organizations formed a task force that released their report in October. Called 'United We Stand: A National Strategy to Prevent Scams' hopefully will encourage all sectors to become more united in the effort. A lack of clarity on which sector ought to take responsibility makes it harder." (Can everyone work together?) 

     "Victims have no clear recourse and rarely get their money back. In 2024 scammers stole at least $16 billion from Americans. Actual losses may be 10 times that, due to underreporting. 

     "The strategy has two parts: First, act against scams in progress at every stage of its life cycle. Second, strengthen efforts to prevent scams in the first place. The task force recommended law enforcement agencies and the government work together...where companies and victims can report activity. The task force asked Congress to agree that scams have grown into a national epidemic.  

     "Scammer tactics will continue to evolve and likely become more sophisticated, especially with the use of AI. 'The cost of inaction is just too great,' they say. Even a 10 percent reduction means billions of dollars. Any progress is meaningful, if we can prevent this crime from affecting additional people."

WORLD magazine