Opinion Piece Notes That Online Scams Have Moved Well Past Older Schemes

A recent opinion column in the Las Vegas Sun examines how internet scams have changed and why they still cost people large sums of money.

The writer notes that old Nigerian prince emails and certain text-message support tricks have largely lost their power. Instead, scammers now use more polished methods, often aided by artificial intelligence, that arrive by email, text, and phone call. Older adults are hit especially hard.

How the Scams Have Shifted

The column says scams have grown both in number and in size since the COVID years. One example given is a man in New York who lost $800,000 from his retirement savings after trusting the wrong people. He later called himself a fool for falling for it.

The writer checked with a former student who works in consumer protection. That person said artificial intelligence has made the schemes more convincing and that the problem is only expected to get worse.

When authorities shut down an operation in one country, another often opens elsewhere.

Why Stopping Them Is Hard

The piece notes that U.S. authorities often have limited reach when scam operators are based overseas. If local governments in places such as Myanmar, India, or Nigeria don’t step in, American agencies can mainly warn the public to avoid deals that sound too good to be true.

The practical advice is simple: don’t answer unknown calls or texts, and treat unexpected emails with caution. The writer also stresses using common sense when something feels off.

What It Means for Regular People

Almost every American runs into these messages at some point. Better technology and the large sums of money involved have made the problem harder to ignore. Staying alert and careful remains the main protection most people have.

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If you or someone in your family has lost money to a scam, or if you have related legal questions, you can contact our Las Vegas office for a confidential conversation. We also work with people who cannot come in person.

Fill out the form on this page or call us, and we’ll review your situation and walk you through the options available.