Senior scams are on the rise due to two factors. First, elders frequently have a lot of money in the bank as a result of a life of hard work and saving. Second, seniors are typically unaware of popular scams and how they operate, and they may be more trusting due to the time period in which they were raised. Seniors, on the other hand, are more easily influenced due to memory difficulties and dementia. Scams against the elderly are considered abuse, and the FBI and local law enforcement are cracking down on such crimes.
What exactly is a Senior Scam?
A senior scam is a criminal act in which someone attempts to defraud, extort, or bully an elderly American out of their hard-earned money. It can occur in a number of different ways. Surprisingly, many instances of financial exploitation are committed by family members or those close to the elder. According to experts, these types of scams cost over $36 billion each year. According to the AARP, each victim loses an average of $120,000.
FBI Fraud Suggestions
The FBI has a webpage dedicated to senior safety and preventing this heinous form of elder fraud. Seniors are frequently targeted for the following reasons:
“Senior citizens are more likely to have a “nest egg,” own their home, and/or have outstanding credit, all of which make them appealing to con artists.
People raised in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s were generally polite and trusting. Con artists take use of these characteristics, knowing that it is difficult or impossible for these people to say “no” or simply hang up the phone.
Older Americans are less likely to disclose a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are too embarrassed to admit they have been duped, or are unaware they have been duped. For example, elderly victims may not disclose crimes because they are frightened that relatives will believe they lack the mental competence to handle their own financial matters.
When an old victim reports a crime, they frequently make lousy witnesses. Con artists are aware of the effects of aging on memory, and they rely on older victims’ inability to provide comprehensive information to investigators. Furthermore, victims may not realize they have been duped for weeks, if not months, after making contact with the fraudster. This prolonged time span makes remembering details from the events even more challenging.
Senior citizens are more interested in and vulnerable to items that promise improved cognitive function, virility, physical fitness, anti-cancer capabilities, and other benefits. It is not so implausible that the scam artists’ wares can do what they claim in a society where new remedies and immunizations for old diseases have given every American hope for a long and fruitful life.”
Top Elders Scams to Be Aware Of Here are some of the most typical elder scams aimed against seniors, as well as tips on how to avoid them.
Scams involving Prescription Drugs
Fraudsters publish advertisements or send emails to seniors offering prescription medications at much lower prices than their regular pharmacy charges. Many older Americans are on a fixed income and are looking for every opportunity to save money. They may be duped by this fraud, which is harmful because counterfeit pharmaceuticals frequently lack the necessary ingredients, will not improve their condition, and are only intended to generate money.
Medicare Fraud
Most seniors are qualified for Medicare, but some out-of-pocket payments may be too expensive. Fraudsters will approach elderly people to offer assistance with paperwork or discounted medical services, but their true goal is to obtain their personal information (such as their social security number) in order to steal their identity and life savings.
Scam Catfishing/Online Dating
Scams Against Seniors
Seniors are frequently more trusting, making them prone to catfishing and online dating frauds. This is when someone pretends to be someone else online and builds a close relationship with a senior in order to swindle them online. After they have gained their trust, they extort money from them to assist with a medical emergency or another family problem. Unfortunately, these types of frauds can go on for weeks or even years, draining the finances of some elderly people.
Scams Using Phishing
Phishing schemes operate by sending the victim an email that appears to be from their bank, credit union, or other reputable business. The email looks to be real due to the use of high-quality graphics and logos. However, if the recipient clicks on the link in the email, their machine may become infected with malware, ransomware, or other infections, allowing hackers to take over and steal information. In other circumstances, the links redirect the victim to a bogus website where they submit their login credentials or other personal information, giving identity thieves access to their information.
Scams in Telemarketing
Telemarketing scams are not new, but around 80% of them target seniors. Callers may attempt to market insurance, drugs, and investments to senior citizens. Instead, they may solicit money or sell innovative anti-aging products. Scammers make all kinds of promises to seniors in order to get them to give them credit card information over the phone, but the products or services never emerge. They were tricked out of money and had no idea.
Elder fraud
Scam Tech Support
Another common scam is when senior citizens receive a call from Microsoft or Apple notifying them that their computer is infected or being used illegally and that they must fix it and pay a fee. The caller may occasionally instruct the user on how to grant remote access to their machine. The caller will then install malware or ransomware on the machine, stealing even more data. These calls are sometimes used to solicit payments for bogus antivirus software to wipe up viruses that aren’t even real. Because many elders do not comprehend technology, they place their trust in spoofed phone numbers on their caller ID.
Fraud on Social Security
Social Security fraud is another scam that targets elders. Many elderly people rely on social security and rely on it to make ends meet. When a fraudster calls and informs them that their social security number has been suspended or has been used for illicit activities, the senior may become alarmed. These con artists can even spoof phone calls to appear to be from the Social Security Administration. The SSA never suspends social security numbers or benefits and never calls to request a charge for issuing a new social security number or correcting an issue.
Senior Deception
Scam of Grandparents
This form of elder scam has received a lot of attention recently. When an elderly person answers the phone, the caller asks, “Grandma? It’s me… “I’m in a pickle, and I need money.” Seniors with hearing impairments may feel that their grandchild is in danger and will go to any length to assist them, including passing over credit card information to pay a “fine” or “bail” to get their grandchild out of jail. These perpetrators beg the grandparent not to notify the parents, which aids in the cover-up. Unfortunately, none of it is true; it is a cruel fraud designed to take money from elderly people.
Scam Lottery or Advance Fee
A lottery or advance-fee scam occurs when crooks contact an elderly person and inform them that they have won a reward or a foreign lottery. With the prospect of riches on the horizon, many senior citizens seize the opportunity and pay the “taxes or fees” required to claim their reward. Unfortunately, when they have paid, either the check they received bounces (since it was never real) or their gift is never delivered. They ultimately understand it was a ruse and that they had been duped.
Scam Reverse Mortgage
Many retirees have paid off their mortgages and now own their homes. Criminals target them by exploiting public data to indicate the value of their houses and enticing elders to take out a reverse mortgage for cash to travel or invest in home upgrades. Unfortunately, these are frequently total shams, and after paying fees or other down payments, the mortgage specialist vanishes into thin air, and no new mortgage is ever sanctioned.
How to Keep Seniors Safe from Scams
These and other senior scams deliberately target more susceptible victims, such as those over the age of 50. You can prevent becoming entangled in one of these cruel webs by doing the following:
Never accept an unsolicited offer, especially over the phone or the internet.
Keep an eye out for fraudulent emails. Never believe it comes from the original source.
Check the “sender’s email address” to ensure you’re communicating with the correct individual.
Give no personal information (such as your social security number or credit card information) to anyone over the phone.
If you are bullied or coerced, hang up the phone and report the event to the FTC.
Do not click on email links or download attachments. Instead, open a new browser window and navigate to the website.
If you receive a call for assistance, even if you believe it is from a loved one, contact them back on a number you trust to investigate the matter before taking any action or handing over any money.
If you are told that you have won a lottery (that you do not recall playing) or a prize, it is most likely a scam. If anything seems too good to be true, it probably is.
The Social Security Administration never suspends or disables anyone’s social security number. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the SSA, hang up and contact the FTC.
Microsoft, Apple, and other technology corporations DO NOT phone users to inform them that their systems are infected with viruses or are engaged in criminal conduct. Do not engage with con artists; instead, hang up the phone immediately.
Never send money to an unknown person (even with online dating). If someone asks you to pay them using prepaid gift cards or wire transfers, consider this a significant red signal that you are being scammed.
When it comes to frauds, you can never be too cautious these days. If you become a victim, report it and seek assistance from a trusted family member.
