Despite consumer warnings and news stories and policy efforts to reign in scamming, in 2023, nationwide fraud losses topped US$14bil (RM65.55bil) for the first time, according to FTC data, a 14% increase over 2022. And, younger generations have been as affected as their older counterparts, if not more so. — Unsplash
Even three weeks later, it's hard for Judith Gage to reckon with the sense of violation and vulnerability she feels after falling for an elaborate scam that started with a message appearing on her frozen computer screen and ended many hours later with her giving US$20,000 (RM93,650) cash to a man at the bottom of her driveway.
"I can't even describe it. It was almost like being on a path to self-destruction that I couldn't stop and maybe knowing at some level how incredibly crazy it all was and doing it anyway," Gage said, her voice breaking.
