Forewarning Reduces Fraud Susceptibility in Vulnerable Consumers

Abstract

Telemarketing fraud is pervasive, and older consumers are disproportionally targeted. We conducted a field experiment to test whether forewarning could protect people who were victimized in the past. A telemarketer pitched a mock scam 2 or 4 weeks after participants were warned about the same scam or an entirely different scam. Both warnings reduced unequivocal acceptance of the mock scam although outright refusals (as opposed to expressions of skepticism) were more frequent with the same scam warning than the different scam warning. The same scam warning, but not the different scam warning, lost effectiveness over time.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We gratefully acknowledge the many highly committed AARP Fraud Fighter Call Center volunteers who conducted the “forewarning” calls in our study.