FBI warns of elder fraud after Webster targeted
FBI PSA warns of elder fraud schemes after former Director William Webster was targeted in 2014 Jamaican lottery scam; scammer now imprisoned.
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The FBI released a public service announcement featuring former FBI and CIA Director William Webster, 98, warning about elder fraud schemes. In 2014, Webster and his wife Lynda were targeted in a Jamaican lottery scam where callers claimed Webster had won a sweepstakes but needed to pay $50,000 to collect. When the couple declined repeatedly, the caller became abusive and threatening. The Websters contacted the FBI and worked with special agents from the Washington Field Office to apprehend the scammer, who is now serving prison time.
Elder fraud schemes, including bogus lottery and romance scams, target millions of older Americans annually, causing losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Fraudsters exploit traits common among seniors such as trustworthiness, loneliness, and desire for financial security. The PSA emphasizes that scammers invest significant time building relationships with victims, offering friendship or promises of love before requesting money. Many victims fail to report these crimes due to embarrassment or uncertainty about where to seek help.
The Websters stress the importance of vigilance by family members and caregivers, noting that as mental acuity declines with age, seniors become more vulnerable to exploitation. The FBI encourages anyone who believes they or someone they know has been victimized to contact their local FBI field office or file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Source reporting: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/former-fbi-director-airs-warning-about-elder-fraud
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