The family group chat is a goldmine for scammers

The last message in your family group chat may have seemed completely harmless.

It could have been a beach photo, a flight arrival time, a dentist appointment or an update about Dad's cardiologist.

These are the everyday details that keep families connected.

They can also give scammers the information they need to impersonate someone you love.

A criminal may already know your relatives' names, phone numbers and addresses before making contact.

Your family group chat can supply the current details that make the scam believable.

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YOUR SENIOR PARENTS ARE EASIER TO IMPERSONATE THAN YOU ARE Scammers do not always need to hack an account.

Instead, they may need only a few minutes and access to a data broker site.

Sites such as Spokeo, Whitepages and BeenVerified may reveal your name, address history and phone number.