055 - Scammers Use Fear To Gain Control
“Threats involving arrest, taxes, unpaid bills, or legal trouble are common scam tactics. Real government agencies generally contact people by mail first, not through aggressive phone calls.”
Few things can make your stomach drop faster than an aggressive phone call or a message claiming you owe thousands of dollars in back taxes. When a caller threatens you with immediate arrest, a frozen bank account, or legal action, it triggers a natural, overwhelming wave of panic.
Scammers use fear because it works like a blindfold. They know that when you are terrified, your brain kicks into survival mode, making it much harder to think clearly or spot the red flags. They want you so worried about the consequences of not paying that you'll quickly hand over your credit card or buy gift cards just to make the threat go away.
It is completely normal to feel shaken by these high-pressure tactics. However, knowing the golden rule of how real organizations operate can instantly disarm these criminals.
The most important thing to remember is that legitimate government agencies—like the IRS or the Social Security Administration—will never call you out of the blue to threaten arrest or demand immediate payment over the phone. They almost always start by sending official letters through the U.S. Mail, giving you plenty of time to review and respond.
Here is how you can take the power back if you get one of these scary calls:
Take a deep breath and hang up: You are not being rude by cutting off a threat. Simply press the red end-call button.
Do not trust the caller ID: Scammers can make their number look like a local police department or government office. Don't let a familiar name on your screen fool you.
Verify on your own terms: If you are genuinely worried the call might be real, look up the official phone number for the agency yourself. Call them back directly to ask if there is an actual issue with your account.
Hanging up gives you the time and space to protect your hard-earned peace of mind.
What Now
If you or an elder you care for has been targeted or shaken by high-pressure scare tactics, fake legal threats, or aggressive imposter calls, take these immediate protective actions:
Implement an Immediate Communication Freeze: Hang up the phone, close your email, or block the sender right away. Do not try to reason with the caller or check their credentials using phone numbers they provide. Legitimate agencies will not demand immediate payment or threaten you with sudden arrest over the phone.
Independently Verify the Alleged Debt or Issue: If you are worried the threat might be real, wait a full minute after hanging up to clear the line. Look up the organization’s actual public contact information yourself using an official government portal, a past utility bill, or the back of your payment card, and call them directly to check your status.
Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: Reach out to the nonprofit specialists at 877-908-3360. They provide free, empathetic, one-on-one counseling for older adults and caregivers to help process the emotional panic of aggressive scams and formulate a clear recovery plan.
Report the High-Pressure Tactics to Federal Authorities: Document the event by filing an official report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If the scare tactic involved internet correspondence or digital money requests, submit the details to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
Alert Your Financial Institution or the Elder Fraud Hotline: If you already handed over financial routing data, passwords, or personal identification due to the threat, call your bank's fraud department immediately to freeze your assets. For assistance coordinating reports across multiple agencies, call the Department of Justice's National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.
Local Resources
Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington [https://helpingelders.org/]
(360) 735-5720
Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program [https://ccvlp.org/]
(360) 695-5313
YWCA Clark County [https://www.ywcaclarkcounty.org/]
(360) 695-0501
