The Rise of Digital Scams: How Technology is Making Fraud Easier
In a world where technology has made our lives more convenient, it has also opened the door to a new wave of scams and fraud. According to Mr. Doctorow, the internet has not only streamlined everyday tasks but has also made it easier for scammers to deceive unsuspecting individuals.
Imagine the classic image of a boiler room filled with con artists making hundreds of phone calls to swindle people out of their money. Now fast forward to 2024, where scammers can send out millions of phishing texts and emails with the help of bots, casting a much wider net for potential victims.
The Federal Trade Commission reported that text scams alone cost Americans $300 million in 2022, with a staggering 157 percent increase in spam texts from the previous year. Even the digitally savvy are not immune to these tactics, as Mr. Doctorow himself fell victim to a phishing scam while on vacation in New Orleans.
During a call from his bank, a scammer posing as a representative managed to extract enough information from Mr. Doctorow to make unauthorized charges on his account. This kind of deception is made possible by sophisticated technology and the outsourcing of customer service departments, which Mr. Doctorow argues have become indistinguishable from phishing scams.
The prevalence of online deceptions can even lead to confusion in everyday tasks, as psychologist Ms. Rutledge experienced when she received a suspicious letter from a government office. With the rise of technology, it is more important than ever to stay vigilant and cautious in order to protect oneself from falling victim to these digital scams.
