GREENFIELD — “FRAUD” flashed across the top of the bright yellow playing cards, rather than the traditional BINGO.
Under each number was a tidbit, a tip on how to avoid falling victim to money scammers. They read them aloud together once the number was called, before placing a marker in the square.
“Don’t send money to anyone who insists on immediate payment.” “Keep copies of all financial documents.” “Be very skeptical of people who promise big profits.”
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Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson visited the Hancock County Public Library in Greenfield on Monday afternoon as part of a statewide tour to educate citizens — seniors in particular — about investment fraud through a game of BINGO.
About 25 Hancock County residents visited the library to learn from Lawson while playing the game, winning prizes and asking questions about how best to protect themselves.
Lawson’s overall message to the crowd was to be wary of the offers they receive by phone or email or the salespeople who come knocking on the front door around dinnertime. Trust your gut, she said, because if the investment sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Seniors are the most commonly targeted by scammers, Lawson said. Criminals know that older residents have heftier savings accounts as preparation for their retirement and tend to be more trusting of those around them, she said.
Seniors might receive more unsolicited phone calls, more mailed pamphlets and unwanted emails than other age groups, she said. Therefore, they need to be more cautious, she said.
Throughout the afternoon, Lawson told stories of Hoosiers who had fallen victim to fraud, using the stories as cautionary tales.
There was the grandmother in Johnson County who gave away more than $60,000 in bail money after receiving a phone call from a man claiming to be her grandson, saying he’d been arrested.
There was the man who got a phone call from someone saying she was a secretary with his doctor’s office. She couldn’t make out his social security number on a form, she’d said, before asking him to recite the numbers for her.
It never hurts to hang up on a suspicious caller, Lawson told the crowd. If you don’t recognize the number, but the person claims to be someone you know, hang up and call your friend or loved one directly, just to check.
Is your cousin’s daughter really looking for money? Call them and ask. Is the sheriff’s department really hosting a fundraiser? Just call the department and double check, Lawson advised.
When someone comes knocking on the front door, be ready to ask lots of questions and don’t commit to anything, especially if the salesperson won’t give you information in writing, Lawson said.
Unfortunately, some in the crowd Monday said they’d already fallen victim to such scams.
Caroline Wyatt said she lost about $800 a few months ago.
A friend’s Facebook account was hacked, and a scammer started sending Wyatt messages about needing money. Wyatt, because she believed she was talking to a trusted friend, never second-guessed the request.
Now, she’s much more careful, she said. She’s quick to block phone numbers she doesn’t recognize and strangers who contact her on social media, she said. But she found Lawson’s presentation interesting and anticipates passing some of the tips onto her friends.
Hoosiers should never be ashamed if they fall victim to scams, Lawson said. Contact the police or the secretary of state’s office so that an investigation can begin quickly, she said.