New technologies have opened new avenues for scammers, who do not hesitate to use them to carry out many of their scams and scams. But if there is a group that is especially vulnerable in this sense, it is undoubtedly the one represented by older people.
In fact, it is usually the authorities themselves who warn of the dangers that threaten the elderly in their daily routines. In this specific case, it was the National Police who warned of a scam that is not new, but that has returned to the news with renewed vigor: the red button scam. What does it consist of and how to prevent it?
Police warn of red button scam
The so-called red button scam is related to the emergency number 112, and it is a scam that takes advantage of the vulnerability of people in emergency situations, usually older people. For it, Scammers convince victims to press the red button on their phone or perform certain actions.
The scam usually begins with a phone call in which the scammers, posing as 112 emergency service operators, alert the victim about an alleged critical situation. They may claim that there is an imminent danger to life, such as a serious accident, kidnapping, or fire. Because it supposedly comes from a trusted source, people fall for it.
The final objective of the scammers is always the same, in any case, taking advantage of the gullibility of the elderly to extract information from them that may be useful for their misdeeds, whether these in the form of specific information or, more commonly, through your bank details. In the end, getting money through criminal methods is usually the key to everything.
The National Police, aware of the increase in cases related to this red button scam, has shared a warning in this regard through their social networks, through which they reward people who have elderly people nearby to warn them of the risk they run. .
How to avoid the red button scam
In reality, the red button scam is a very simple stage. The bad thing is that these tend to be the simplest scams and the ones that end up being the most lucrative for criminals. In this case, Informing the elderly that there are people posing as 112 telecare professionals is essential.
It is valuable to remember that real emergency services, including the popular 112 number, never ask users to perform specific actions, such as pressing a button, to receive help. That is, it is the people who should contact them when an emergency occurs, and not the other way around.
In case of a real emergency, people are encouraged to stay calm, call the emergency number directly and follow the instructions provided by trained and verified operators. In case the opposite happens, distrust, although it may not sound good, is the best thing to do.
