Ep 415: How A Personal Finance Expert Fell For A Financial Scam With Charlotte Cowles

HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

When we envision the type of person who falls for a financial scam, there are usually a few key characteristics that come to mind:They may be elderly, using a landline phone, or in a state of panic as the person on the other end of the line informs them that if they don’t hand over $10,000 immediately, they’ll be arrested. But those stereotypes are just plain wrong.

Charlotte Cowles, the Cut’s financial advice columnist and a longtime freelance business columnist for The New York Times, fell for an elaborate new scam that involved Amazon, the FTC, threatening her child, and handing a box with $50,000 in cash through the window of the backseat of a car.

In Mailbag, we hear from a listener who’s wondering what the difference is between an hourly financial advisor and one that charges a flat fee. We also address how to shop around for title insurance when you're buying a home. In our news of the week, we talk about the big changes coming to the commissions we pay when we buy and sell homes, what the producer price index (or PPI) coming in hotter than expected means, and a new study about how Americans are feeling about their finances.

Takeaways:

• Younger adults are more likely to fall for online scams.
• Scammers use psychological tactics such as authority and isolation to manipulate their victims.
• Talking about scams and sharing experiences can help prevent others from falling victim.
• If something seems too good to be true, trust your gut and question it.
• Be cautious of phone calls or messages from unknown sources and verify information independently.
• Report scams to the appropriate authorities and seek support from trusted friends or family members.

Chapters:

00:00 News You Can Use

6:43 Charlotte's experience

12:15 Psychological tactics used by scammers

28:32 Red flags to look out for if you think you’re being scammed

32:43 Mailbag with Julia Chatzky

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The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney.

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