Confronting The Shame, Success, And Stigma Of Scams

1A

NPR

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4.4 • 4.3K Ratings

🗓️ 10 December 2024

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

$10 billion. That's how much money was taken from Americans in fraud schemes last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Many of those crimes – specifically those involving imposters – often start with a phone call or a text and a made-up claim. Victims can hand over thousands of dollars. And they often feel ashamed about being duped by these criminals.

How do we let go of the stigma around being scammed? And what's being done about the increasingly elaborate ways scammers are stealing people's money?

The Washington Post's Michelle Singletary helps us answer
those questions.

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0:25.8	Music or older to purchase. $10 billion.
0:28.2	That's how much money was taken from Americans in fraud schemes last year,
0:32.1	according to the Federal Trade Commission.
0:34.4	Many of those fraud schemes, specifically imposter scams, start with a phone call
0:39.1	or text and a made-up claim. Victims can hand over thousands of dollars and often feel ashamed
0:44.9	about being duped by these criminals. How do we let go of the stigma around being scammed and
0:50.2	understand more about what happens when someone is scammed? What's being done about the increasingly elaborate ways scammers are defrauding people.
0:58.3	I'm Jen White. You're listening to the 1A podcast where we get to the heart of the story.
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