Spot A Scam Before Falling Victim

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- There are many different types of scams, and the nature of them are always changing, but Minnesota's Department of Commerce says they all have a few things in common.

"They're very sophisticated, they're very good, and frankly, they keep doing it because it works," said Commissioner Jessica Looman.

One of the newer ones has to do with customer complaints -- people who use social media to complain about their experience with a business.

Often times the goal is to get a reaction from the company, to help resolve an issue. However it could backfire, if someone reaches out claiming to be a company representative, asking some questions, and it turns out they're not affiliated with the company at all, but instead wanted personal information.

Looman says most scams follow a similar format: Making people feel like they're about to gain or lose something significant—anything from money to family. And they all sound urgent, hoping victims think they have to act immediately.

She urges people do a few things when approached by someone they don't know and the warning signs are triggered: Take the time to think, and call someone trustworthy.

"If I were to tell you I got this phone call and I just won the lottery in Costa Rica, and all I have to do is send in the tax money, you would say, 'Oh, Jessica,'" said Looman. "But when you're in the throes of it, when your emotions are running high, when your adrenaline is pumping, you might not be able to hear it for yourself."

In that case, she says, report the fraud to the Department of Commerce, local law enforcement, and the Better Business Bureau. Doing so helps those entities stay up to date on what's out there and who the scammers are targeting.