ASU Research E-Magazine: Champ or Chump?

Sweepstakes scammers and the perpetrators of direct mail fraud schemes are hungry for victims. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people willing and ready to become patsies. Most are done in by their own greed or their innocent inability to comprehend messages that are deliberately concocted to confuse and mislead.

ASU’s William Arnold studies those confusing messages. He offers specific bits of advice on protecting elderly targets of direct mail scams.

First, talk with elderly parents about the potential direct mail fraud. If they will not confide in you, find a friend to whom they will listen.

Place stickers on their telephones that say “Warning! This might be a fraud call.”

Be on the lookout for multiple checkbook or credit card entries, or a sudden influx of low quality merchandise.

Realize that younger people are also potential victims of direct mail scams.

If you find that you really cannot resist the urge to affix a 33-cent stamp or two to a sweepstakes entry, Arnold suggests that you mail the packets to his ASU group. The ASU researchers collect all types of direct mail sweepstakes material. They analyze messages and techniques being used on specific age groups.—Lindsey Michaels