According to a 2021 survey by AARP, about 2 in 5 Black adults were targeted by an online scam and 1 in 5 lost money to one. The most common scams Blacks fell victim to were work-from-home scams, affinity investment scams, lottery scams and romance scams.
From multiple calls labeled “Scam Likely” on cell phones to suspicious emails awarding fake gift cards to social media posts promising the latest get-rich-quick scheme, scams are around every corner targeting everyone.
One report found that Americans lost nearly $30 billion to phone scams over the past year with 1 in 3 saying they fell victim. The average person lost around $500.