Scamadviser Interview: Chuck Whitlock

Below you will find our latest interview with award winning author Chuck Whitlock.

I was a police officer while attending college in Ohio, USA. I saw firsthand how devastating con artists scams can be to honest, hard-working people. Sociopaths comprise about 1% of the human population. Sociopaths can lie, cheat and swindle people out of their life savings and never think twice about it. They are predators and look for the most vulnerable people who find themselves in desperate circumstances. For example, people who are diagnosed with a  terminal illness might be persuaded to pay for bogus alternative medical treatments for a great deal of money. A lonely woman might fall for a love con and a businessperson  may pay a questionable source huge fee to obtain a loan. Of course the money never comes and the business owner is forced to declare bankruptcy; the money paid to the loan broker may have enabled the businessman to save his company.

I wrote a book on white collar crime called Easy Money. It came to the attention of Oprah Winfrey and became a popular book after I appeared on her television show. I went on to write many books on the subject including MediScams, Scam School and Age without Rage.

I was asked by NBC to do some investigative reports on white collar criminals and their activities. I produced hundreds of investigative reports for the TV shows Extra and Hard Copy. I also contributed investigative stories to 60 Minutes, Inside Edition and many other television shows. My investigative reports aired worldwide.

Consumers have to be wary of offers that sound too good to be true. They shouldn’t allow themselves to be pressured into making important decisions when pushed to act immediately. For example, if somebody promises huge returns on investments, question the financials, vet the principals and get a professional opinion from your attorney, accountant, financial planner or broker. Consumers need to be careful not to put too much personal information on their social media sites. For example, if they disclose that they are going on vacation, it becomes an open invitation to have their homes burglarized.

Many of the most egregious scams target senior citizens. They have much of the wealth in the world, much of the disposable income in the world, major illness concerns and a growing need for caregivers. Caregivers can take extraordinary advantage of their vulnerabilities. If there is a caregiver in a home for seniors, a concerned relative or friend must check in on them and not allow a caregiver to send them away; caregivers who are stealing from seniors attempt to isolate them from the friends, neighbors and relatives. Check the senior’s prescriptions and make sure they have the correct number of pills. Unscrupulous caregivers often steal prescription drugs as well as financial data that would allow them to steal from an unsuspecting senior citizen. Always get second opinions when it comes to serious medical surgeries and treatments.

Do not trust a contractor who wants to do home construction or repairs without first checking his references and his suppliers. Don’t pay in advance for materials but pay the supplier directly when the materials are delivered. In short, be a suspicious consumer, and always check out too-good-to-be-true offers and the people who are making them.

Scams will always be an issue for consumers because we will always have to deal with sociopaths. We will always have to deal with human greed, desperation to find solutions to insurmountable problems and human misery of every kind. Con artists will always have an easy solution to solve the problems we face. Remember that there seldom is an easy solution to serious problems.

Scams such as cybercrime, investment fraud, medical scams, street scams, and telephone schemes are at an all-time high. I hope this email answers your questions. I am pleased to provide additional information to this worldwide problem.

Sincerely,

Chuck Whitlock

Author, Easy Money, Scam School, Age without Rage, Police Heroes, Mediscams and award-winning television journalist

Recipient of the coveted Headliners Award in the US, US Attorney Generals Association Consumers Award, Washington Police Association Public Service Award and the National Television Journalism First Place Award

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