Learn How to Fight Scams From Finance to Romance
Supervisor Joel Engardio is hosting a series of scam fighting workshops for Sunset residents in collaboration with the Taraval Police Station and community centers.
There are many kinds of scams: blessing, computer, employment, financial, imposter, and romance. All of these scams are trying to trick you into giving up your money, your personal information, or both.
The goal for the educational workshops is to help our community stay one step ahead of scammers. We also focus on the emotional recovery process for scam victims.
Supervisor Engardio, office interns Shun and Tai, and workshop organizer Vindy Chan motivate the audience to be scam fighters.
Vindy Chan — the public safety liaison for Supervisor Engardio and Taraval Police Station — organizes the workshops in English and Cantonese/Mandarin.
What to look out for
People of all ages and backgrounds are increasingly being targeted by everything from fake job offers to phishing emails. In many cases, the scams looked completely legitimate. And the scammers are getting smarter and bolder.
That’s why it is more important than ever to be aware of these tricks, identify red flags, and be confident in what you can do to protect yourself and your family.
Here are the most common scams in the Sunset to watch out for:
Imposter scams
Imposter scams are where scammers pretend to be someone you trust or a representative calling from legitimate organizations and government agencies, usually asking to transfer a large sum of money or share your personal information. Another example is a representative from Kaiser Permanente asking for your Social Security Number. To identify if this is a scam, ask yourself if you are even a member of Kaiser. If not, just hang up! If you are a member of Kaiser, be aware of who you are talking to before giving private information away.
Romance scams
Through social media and other online platforms, scammers exploit victims emotionally and financially by pretending to be romantically interested and building a relationship with their target. Scammers invest time in gaining their victim’s trust by creating a story about themselves and prolonging talking online. Then, the scammer may trick the victim into sending explicit photos or videos and threaten to leak the content unless a payment is made (sextortion). Scammers may also offer fake investment opportunities that are appealing to the victim. Usually, the victim will start investing into a small amount, see it grow and be convinced to invest more. But, in reality, the scammer is stealing this money and eventually ghosts the victim. Some red flags to look out for are if the person is reluctant to meet in person or video chat, if the relationship is moving really fast, or if the person is constantly talking about money and the future of your relationship.
Employment scams
Commonly targeted for teens and young adults, employment scams advertise and message job opportunities that offer a huge sum of money for easy work. The work could include working from home for short hours, promoting brands, becoming an “ambassador,” or reshipping packages. Common taglines include “Get paid $500 a week just for reposting” and “Work from home—no experience needed.” that will end up asking you for personal information like name, address, and bank account details. These offers sound too good to be true which is a sign that you should be skeptical of these ads and messages.
Check scams
A common tactic scammers use is fraudulent check scams where scammers trick victims into depositing fake checks and then sending back money before the check bounces. In the context of employment scams, the scammer would send a “paycheck” that looks legitimate (often more than what is owed), the victim would deposit the check and return a portion, only to find out that the check is fake after sending money back to the scammer. When you receive a check that is more than what is owed, you should be skeptical of warning signs like being asked to send back money after depositing a check, pressure to act quickly, and the scammer being vague or difficult to reach.
Computer scams
Computer Scams are a deceptive way for scammers to trick people into giving up money, personal information, and access to their devices. One example is ransomware when malicious software locks your files or device until you pay a fee. For example, you open up a file from a suspicious email, and suddenly your screen is locked with a message demanding your payment or offering to fix your computer which is a tactic to gain access to your device. In this situation, it is important that you stay calm, avoid clicking any suspicious links, and verify the source before taking action. You may also talk to a trusted friend or family member to confirm and get a second opinion before taking the next step.
Here are some tips to be alert and safe from scams:
Never share passwords, personal info, or images with people you don’t fully trust.
Be skeptical of “easy money” offers.
Be cautious of people you meet online. Do a reverse image search of profile photos.
Reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or local resource if you suspect something.
Verify the agency, verify the organization, verify the person or sender before you trust what was told.
Talk to your trusted friends and/ family before you take action.
Be suspicious if people ask you to purchase gift cards.
Scam fighters
Join the Scam Fighter Program, a collaborative community-driven initiative to raise awareness and empower people to recognize and avoid scams. Individuals will volunteer at official scam prevention events in the Sunset organized by Supervisor Engardio’s office.
We encourage high school and college students to join the Scam Fighter Program.
Scam tactics are evolving rapidly these days, it's no longer just seniors — teenagers and young adults are also falling victim. That's why we aim to equip young people with the latest knowledge about scams. We want to help them avoid fraud and empower them to protect the most vulnerable members of their families and communities.
The first graduates from the Scam Fighter Program.
Local resources for questions and support:
Taraval Police Station
Contact Vindy Chan, Community Service Liaison, for more resources and referral to services at 415-640-5525. Report a scam to your local police station.
District Attorney’s Office Victim Services Division
After a scam incident, the Victim Services Division can help with referral services and reimbursement applications from the State program.
Self Help for the Elderly
Specifically for seniors, Self Help is here for you with case management and senior escort services as well as a small emergency fund for scam victims.
Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities (MHACC)
Don’t hesitate to reach out for mental health support. The MHACC provides help lines and services in person and online.
Scams come in many forms, but they all rely on the deception of tricking you to give up money and personal information. Therefore, to protect yourself, always take a moment to think and reach out before acting. By staying alert, and spreading the word, you could save yourself and your loved ones from emotional and financial distress.