FBI Alert: Online Scams Stealing Billions, Elderly Most at Risk
paranoid: someone who is overly worried or nervous, often without a reasonable cause
The FBI says more Americans are becoming victims of online theft than break-ins at home. Last year, Americans lost over $10 billion to online tricks. The group losing the most money is the elderly. Criminals are now using fake voices to scam parents and grandparents.
An 81-year-old lady named Susan was tricked into giving away thousands of dollars to a scammer. They fooled her into thinking her grandson was in trouble. Others, like Judy and her husband, lost their savings in the same scam. These cases increased by 70% during the pandemic.
These criminals are now using AI voice-changing software to fool people into thinking their family members are in trouble. Rachel Tobac, an expert in this area, says we all should be paranoid. If something doesn’t feel right, double-check.
Sample sentences
1. Watching too many scary movies at night can make you paranoid.
2. She’s so paranoid about making mistakes in her homework, she checks it three times.
3. Being paranoid about online safety can help protect you from scams.