(LibertySociety.com) – Media outlets are warning of a new scam circulating on TikTok that primarily targets senior citizens on Social Security. Scammers have repurposed a 2019 scam ad that featured Snoop Dogg, but this time around, President Biden is standing alongside the famous rapper. The ad claimed that seniors could take advantage of a social security subsidy totaling $6,400 by simply applying for the spending card. In the original advertisement, Snoop Dogg tells viewers that they can make a 15-minute phone call and be eligible for a program to pay off credit card debt.
The new advertisement claims that the federal government “is sending everyone a free $6,400 right now,” and says that recipients can receive the money within 48 hours. It recommends withdrawing the cash off the card, buying a new car, or taking “your wifey on a shopping spree.” Clicking on the advertisement will not connect consumers with representatives of the federal government. Instead, the scammers behind the ad will try to pry out personal information that could lead to identity theft and financial loss.
Scams such as this one have become more frequent since the government began issuing stimulus checks during the pandemic. Unfortunately, many people have fallen for similar scams. According to the FBI, senior citizens lost $3.1 billion in 2022 to online scammers.
Senior citizens are often targeted by scammers because they have money in savings and have likely received retirement payouts. Scammers can manipulate various videos of celebrities and public servants to make advertisements look legitimate. However, offers from the government will only ever be communicated through official channels. Experts advise consumers to contact the government directly to verify the legitimacy of online offers.
Other online scams have been popping up since the deadly Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. The IRS recently warned consumers of phony charities claiming to be supporting Israelis and Palestinians. Many of these fake charities are pushing email cryptocurrency campaigns to dupe sympathetic people into donating or handing out personal information.
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