Debra Mulé: Knowledge, preparation are key tools in fight to stop scammers

Every day, scam artists are deploying an ever-evolving series of schemes to steal hard-earned money from Nassau County residents. The most despicable examples of all are those targeting our seniors and the assets they have worked for a lifetime to earn.

Scammers seek to prey on our emotions — by scaring us with threats of lawsuits from the IRS, trying to blackmail us for money to keep them from disclosing embarrassing information and photos, or claiming that a grandchild or a loved one is in danger and needs money fast, or else something horrible will happen.

Text messages flood our phones with links to Amazon orders and UPS deliveries that don’t exist, fake “final enforcement notices” threatening to suspend our driver’s licenses if we don’t pay for nonexistent traffic violations, and more. They tug at our heartstrings as they solicit donations for fake charities, try to get us to fall in love with nonexistent people — commonly known as “catfishing” — so you’ll send them money, and try to get you to act irrationally by claiming you’ve won a lottery — and then request a down payment to collect your prize.

Local businesses face threats as well. A recent bulletin from the Nassau County Department of Information Technology warns of Business Email Compromise attacks, which seek to trick their victims into authorizing fraudulent financial transactions. To pull it off, they either hack real email accounts or imitate the victim’s coworkers, vendors or customers to steal money and data.

The growing sophistication of artificial intelligence is making these scams more difficult to detect. According to the 2025 Microsoft Digital Defense Report, A.I.-generated phishing scams are nearly five times more likely to entice victims to click through than traditional attempts.

No matter how they go about it, one rule remains: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember these fundamentals to protect yourselves and your family.

• Never share numbers or passwords for accounts, credit cards or Social Security.
• Don’t click on unsolicited links or open QR codes in texts or emails.
• Don’t call the number provided in a pop-up, text or email.
• Beware when someone plays on your emotions, makes threats or claims there’s an urgent situation that you need to pay for immediately.
• Never move money out of a bank account at the urging of someone on the phone.
• If a caller claims there’s an issue with your bank account, hang up and call your bank.
• When you receive a suspicious email, check the address that it comes from. If it doesn’t match that of the organization it’s claiming to be, it’s a scam.
• Scam emails often contain typos and are often written in a way that doesn’t match the style of whoever they’re impersonating.
• Never pay up front for a promised prize or financial windfall.
• If a caller claims to be someone you know or a bank or business you work with, hang up and contact that person yourself, using information you know is theirs.

If you do get scammed, predators are betting that you will be too embarrassed to call the police. Don’t let them win — there is no shame in being a victim, and your report can help protect others. Call 911 immediately, contact the state attorney general’s office by filing an online complaint or calling (800) 771-7755, or call Nassau County Crimestoppers at (800) 244-8477 with any details that could lead to an arrest.

The good news is that by being prepared, learning about the techniques they use and keeping a level head, we can all do our part to stop these criminals in their tracks. Knowing the warning signs is half the battle. That’s why my office will continue to partner with local senior centers to host scam-prevention workshops, and will keep you informed about future sessions in which you can learn even more about how to protect yourselves and put these crooks out of business once and for all.

Debra Mulé, of Freeport, represents Nassau County’s 6th Legislative District and is the Legislature’s alternate deputy minority leader.