ROSE helps people avoid the scammers.
During the past 14 months, Watson has given presentations to more than 50 groups and has appeared on television and radio programs, as well as podcasts.
“We can’t catch all the criminals,” he said, “so we want to dry up the scams. Our focus is on prevention.”
Watson, a retired special agent and public information officer with the IRS, has given presentations to the Prescott and Flagstaff police departments as well as the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. He also speaks to retirement communities on a regular basis, plus banks and car dealerships. “I will collaborate with anybody about fraud prevention.”
Watson has met with fraud victims, too. He says it is heartbreaking because many lose a lot of money. Some lose their life savings. “It changes how they interact with others because they no longer trust people.”
He offers this list of the common kinds of scams.
Phishing, which is when emails or texts are sent to trick people into giving out private information. “Be skeptical. Don’t click on any links. These are usually weird emails, so don’t open them,” he said.
Tech support scams that say it’s your bank or your computer security system telling you there is a problem and tricking you into giving out private information or asking you for passwords so they can access your computer system. “If you don’t know them, contact the company directly.” he said.
Pig butchering. These are romance scams, usually over a long period of time, asking you to send money through cryptocurrency. Scammers often prey on the lonely whether they are divorced or widowed, he said. “They shower attention on you. This is a huge worldwide problem. Pig Butchering began in China. “They refer to the victims as pigs and kill you by taking your money.” Watson adds that some of the romance scams have started on Christian dating sites. He also says the United Nations is investigating scam farms in Southeast Asia.
Credit card scams. Scammers may tell their victims their credit card is expiring and ask for personal information,” said Watson. “You cannot engage with these people.” Instead, he says, contact the company directly to find out if the call is real.
Watson became involved with ROSE when he met founder Joyce Petrowski. She started the nonprofit organization after she was scammed in a romance scheme. Most of the members of the ROSE Board of Directors have been victims of scams, too. While scams hit every age group, seniors are often more susceptible.
Many scams are hard for law enforcement to prove, but those involving cryptocurrency or bitcoin can leave a digital footprint, making it easier for law enforcement agencies to investigate. “Scammers can be caught, but it’s tough because you have to get in line with all the other victims,” he said.
“The best part of this [being involved with ROSE] is working with people, because they are appreciative that someone is looking out for them,” he said.
Watson, who also teaches white collar crime at the University of Arizona, said the most challenging part of the job is funding. As a nonprofit, ROSE is continuously seeking grants and donations and creating fundraising events, such as golf tournaments. QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
Watson has a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a CPA in California. For more information, email brianwatson@roseadvocacy.org.
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