The scam scourge continues to grow by leaps and bounds. A recent story in The Economist magazine reported that scams are hitting us from all over the world, and have displaced illegal drugs to become the largest industry in far-flung countries such as Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia and Laos.

Scamming operations in these little nations are highly organized, operate with government and police protection, and are operated by thousands of English-speaking natives or multi-lingual college graduates from that part of the world.

A new variant of scams is called “pig butchering.” In these scams, targets are carefully researched online and social media to determine a victim’s assets, then carefully groom the victim for fraud over days, weeks or months.

Scam workers study psychology manuals learning how to establish intimacy and trust, maybe spending months setting up a prospective victim. Using online money transfer apps, cryptocurrency or old-fashioned wire transfers, these criminals strike when the time is ripe, and with a few computer clicks, bleed money from victims at the speed of light.

Once money is lost to a scammer, it is usually gone forever. That is what makes this kind of crime so tantalizing to crooks — no muss, no fuss, just the quick theft from a senior’s bank account, instantly whisked over the internet from a place like Ohio to a scam center somewhere on the other side of the world.

Scam victims now include financial advisers, bank presidents, attorneys, computer experts, police officers and even FBI agents.

Older adults with financial assets, coupled with a poor understanding of computer technology, social media and smart phones, are the ripest targets a scammer can hope for. As if things couldn’t be worse, artificial intelligence is giving scammers new and scary ways to lie, cheat and steal without the faintest worry of ever getting caught.

Against all this, what can an older adult do? Quite a bit, actually. You don’t have to be a victim if you consistently do some fairly low-tech things:

Don’t trust anything you see or hear on the internet or cell phone. Take the time to verify who you are dealing with. NEVER click the links on text messages, or respond to telephone messages from anyone claiming to be calling from your bank, the police, or even your own grandchild. And, certainly, never ever send money to anyone for anything, just because you’ve been led to believe it’s the right thing to do. Slow down. Call a friend, a family member, a trusted financial professional or your attorney to get another opinion. Or call the police and tell them you want to speak with an officer.

Avoid using the internet to find your next romance. Scammers hover on online dating sites, just looking for targets. If you’re lonely, find other ways to meet people. Be careful about the kind of information and pictures you put on the internet or social media. To be on the safe side – don’t put any pictures on social media. Scammers constantly scan social media posts to find targets. Posting pictures of your vacation, friends, home or car may give scammers a good idea of your income and assets, along with possible ideas to gain your trust and confidence.

Whenever you hear the word “cryptocurrency,” hang up or turn your computer off. No good will ever come from an older adult fumbling around in this unhinged part of the financial world where the brightest people in the world have gone bankrupt overnight.

Thieves and con artists have always been with us and always will. Your best defense against scammers is information and education. If you have taken the time to read this, you are already working to protect yourself. Keep yourself informed and stay warm. The robins aren’t exactly chirping yet, so use the time now to get ready for spring!

Protect yourself

Dave Long answers questions during a series of monthly talks on the latest scams, why scammers target seniors and how to protect personal information at 1 p.m. the fourth Thursday of every month at the Poland Township Government Center, 3339 Dobbins Road, Poland.

To report a scam or to ask questions, seniors may call county Senior Services Units. In Mahoning County, call Bob Schaeffer at 330-480-5078. In Trumbull County, call Don Hyde at 330-675-7096.

Dave Long of Poland, a Youngstown State University graduate, is a retired public affairs officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection who later worked as an Elder Scam Prevention Outreach specialist in Rochester, N.Y., before moving back to the Mahoning Valley.