BUFFALO, N.Y. — A new study found an increase in phishing attacks nationwide, but 2 On Your Side Investigates found the uptick is occurring in New York as well.
"We're already on pace to break another record this year, so this is definitely a concern,” said Katarina Schmieder of the Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York.
Schmieder said the reports of phishing, a type of scam that's been around for decades, are breaking records. That's thanks, in part, to new technology.
"You could be targeted via not only email, but text message, and scammers are now using A-I to target a wider number of people and craft more sophisticated messages,” Schmieder added.
The scams can be through voicemail, text or email, and the goal is to hook you into releasing personal, sensitive information.
Data provided to 2 On Your Side by the BBB shows here, in upstate New York, attacks increased more than 140% last year, with nearly ten thousand reports nationwide.
"It's important not to click on anything or enter any personal information, because once these individuals get ahold of your personal information, they're able to access your bank accounts and it can really cause a lot of problems and headaches down the road,” said Schmieder .
On average, a person falling for one of these scams will lose about $300. The BBB reminds you to be wary of any message you aren't expecting, or ones that seem "too good to be true."
You can report your case and file a scam report here.