First published in Spotlight Brevard Magazine, Community Scam Alerts, June 2026
I decided to quick-sell the house in Florida and need you to meet the agent to let them in the house. I can tell you why I decided to sell at another time. Let me know if you're available to help. I love you.
That was the text I received from one of my parents a few months ago as I was getting ready for bed. Out of context, it's a simple enough request, but it set off my internal alarms. Why a quick sale? Why text me so late when my parents never send messages at that hour unless there's an emergency? Something was wrong, but I didn’t know what.
I learned, when I went to the house in question, that there was an emergency: My dad had been scammed. Sure, he's in his early 80s, so he fits a common misconception about the targets of scammers. Where he doesn't fit that stereotype is that he has fully cognizant mental faculties. The truth I've learned: scammers target everyone, regardless of age or mental sharpness.
So, what the heck happened?
In the months since, I've learned more than I ever imagined about today's industry of scamming. I've learned who's behind these scams, how they use AI and marketing techniques to manipulate us, and the staggering scale of money being stolen from Americans.
As an experiential writer, entrepreneur, and volunteer at the Brevard Prosperity Initiative, I'm grateful for this partnership with Spotlight Magazine to educate our community about financial abuse targeting people of all ages.
After realizing my dad's abusers were after everything he owned, I searched for help. That's when I discovered Stolen, A Podcast with Erin West.
Erin West, a former District Attorney with a career of tracking down crypto criminals, founded Operation Shamrock to continue this work more directly. Through her podcast and global speaking engagements, she's building a coalition of law enforcement, tech companies, and everyday people to fight what she identifies as “the fastest-growing form of transnational organized crime: digital scams.”
It is dizzying to consider the scale of harm inflicted by these "cyber criminal" organizations, especially upon learning that people are literally forced to commit the kind of crime perpetrated upon my dad. The resources from Operation Shamrock and their partnership with AARP gave me vital tools for navigating recovery. More importantly, they’re helping our family understand a crucial truth: this wasn't—and never was—my dad's fault.
Please look for and share Community Scam Alerts with your community. Each month, I'll explore different scam types and how to protect yourself and others. Coming up: pig-butchering scams, romance scams, why age doesn't determine vulnerability, and how to talk to loved ones who've been targeted.
I invite you to submit questions and topics to Spotlight Magazine—your stories and concerns will shape this column.
If any of this sounds familiar, whether it happened to you or to someone you love, you can write to me privately at ScamAlerts@VesperaPress.com.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has been scammed, please contact your local police department's non-emergency line to file a report immediately.
For more information and resources about scams, visit Operation Shamrock or AARP's Fraud Watch Network™.
