Local senior finds relief after former FBI agent answers fraud concerns

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A Colorado Springs senior who feared she was being targeted by fraud is now finding relief. News5 first met Elinor Makings in March when she reached out with concerns about suspicious emails.

• Watch News5 coverage of those suspicious emails below:

Since then, she says the emails haven’t stopped coming.

“They're no longer saying I've transferred money to a person. It says that an Apple iPhone has been purchased on my account, an orange Apple iPhone every time,” said Makings.

The repeated messages left her questioning what was real and what wasn’t.

Looking for clarity and prevention tips, Makings sat down with Brad Lynch, a former FBI agent who now serves as Director of Fraud Investigations at Ent Credit Union, which is becoming Wings Credit Union.

During the conversation, she asked a question many victims share.

“Can I just cancel that thing?" asked Makings. "Will that stop all the emails, or are they still going to come?”

Lynch explained that stopping scams isn’t always that simple, but understanding how they work can make a big difference. He shared practical tips to help identify suspicious messages.

“If you take your mouse and hover over the link in an email, it will show exactly where it's coming from," said Lynch.

He also emphasized the importance of not going through it alone.

“Have a trusted buddy or a friend… because a lot of times what these fraudsters are trying to do is isolate you," said Lynch.

Lynch says the biggest red flag often comes down to instinct.

“If their story makes you go, ‘wait a minute, that doesn’t make sense,’ then slow down… that flag should go up in your mind," said Lynch.

His advice is to pause, question and not rush into action.

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