CBS’ 60 Minutes interviewed victims of social engineering scams. While people in their 30s file the most reports, according to the show, senior Americans lose the most money in these scams.
The show interviews a number of victims, who provide details on the specific social engineering techniques that tricked them. In two of the cases discussed in the report, the same “courier” showed up at the victims’ homes and was given envelopes with thousands of dollars.
(Victim) Susan Monahan: There was a young adult on the line saying, ‘Grandma, I– I need your help,’ in a frantic voice, scared, saying– ‘I was driving and suddenly there was a woman stopped in front of me. She’s pregnant, and I hit her.’ And ‘they’re gonna take me to jail,’ and, and, ‘Grandma, please don’t call my mom and dad, because I don’t want them to know.’ And I said, ‘Brandon, it doesn’t sound like you.’ He said, ‘Oh, I have a cold, Grandma.’
(Reporter) Sharyn Alfonsi: You think it’s your grandson?
Susan Monahan: I do. And he said, ‘Grandma, a friend of mine has an attorney that we can, that we can use, and that we can do something about me going to jail.’ And I said, ‘Yes, of course.’
Monahan said the scammer – pretending to be a helpful attorney – got on the line. It was June of 2020, during the pandemic, and he promised to keep her grandson out of jail, if she could get $9 thousand for bail to him quickly.”