Scams That Prey on the Elderly | E-Neighborhood Advisor

 

It seems lately that I have personally received more and more emails or phone calls that are not legit, and I'm sorry if you have too. Many scams are universal, from the IRS imposter who calls and threatens to arrest you if you don’t pay your taxes, to phishing emails that trick you into sending sensitive data or downloading malware onto your computer. But some types of fraud target older adults specifically or affect them disproportionately, says Miriam Cross at Kiplinger's Personal Finance. Sometimes older adults are preyed on for certain scams because they are more likely to answer calls from unknown callers, open junk mail rather than tossing it in the trash, or are not as practiced with the privacy settings on social media as younger generations. Here are six scams that you and your parents should watch out for. Sweepstakes or Lottery You hear by phone, mail or online that you have won—or have the potential to win—a jackpot. But you need to pay a fee, or cover taxes and customs duties, to receive your prize, perhaps by prepaid debit card, wire transfer, money order or cash. Or, the scammer may send you a bogus check that you need to deposit before sending a portion back. Even if the contest carries a legitimate name, stay away from schemes that require you to pay to claim your prize. This was the third-most-reported scam in 2018, according to calls received by the Senate Aging Committee’s Fraud Hotline (IRS impersonation and robocalls took the top two spots). Tech Support A so-called tech support representative calls and claims that your computer is infected with a virus. Once you hand over remote access, they dig into your personal files or request payment for their services. Seek tech support only from the contact information provided with your devices. In 2018, people age 60 and older were about five times more likely to report losing money to these scams than were younger people, with a median loss of $500, according to the Federal Trade Commission. “Grandchild” in Need Your “grandchild” calls—perhaps in the middle of the night, startling you awake—sounding frantic, because he needs fast cash to deal with a medical emergency, a travel disaster or to get out of jail. He begs you not to alert his parents. The con artist on the other end of the line may have extracted enough details about your grandchild from the internet, such as his or her name, city and school, to weave together a believable story, and may explain away a distorted voice by claiming a bad phone connection or broken nose. Hang up and call your grandchild or an in-the-know relative to check in.  My own mother got this call, and the person on the phone was male and he said it was my mom's oldest grandchild.  It was easy to detect because her oldest grand child is female but still the same this one just isn't right. Romance You get a message on an online dating site or through social media that says something like “Don’t you remember me? I’m your second-grade crush. You look so good.” The seducer may spend weeks or months building a relationship over phone and e-mail, then ask for money—perhaps to help him or her travel to you or to deal with medical issues. Some victims can lose hundreds of thousands of dollars—and the dream a scammer created for them. Social Security Someone claiming to be a Social Security staffer contacts you and tries to extract money or personal details. He or she may pretend there is a problem with your account, that your Social Security number has been suspended because of suspected illegal activity, or that you’re owed a cost-of-living benefit increase. Worse, the caller may threaten your benefits, suggest you’ll face legal action if you don’t provide information, or pressure you to send money. If you’re not sure whether a call is legitimate, don’t rely on your caller ID; hang up and call 800-772-1213 to speak with a real representative.  I get this one on a semi-regular basis. Natural Disasters and Contractors Fake contractors will go door-to-door offering fix-it services, often capitalizing on a recent natural disaster in the area. They will ask for instant payment via cash or check, promise to start working the next day, and then disappear. Ignore their offers and search for contractors on your own. Another one I get about once a month either the Nigerian prince one in English and French, how they know I speak French sometimes baffles me, or somebody has just come across a ton of money and they need my help to get it out of some foreign bank.  If only it were true, am I right?   If you need a little humor, here is a link to a Ted Talk given by a comedian on how he dealt with one of these emails that I found funny.  Here is the link: Click here for the talk. Your Flooring Consultant, Matt Capell Email: sales@capellinteriors.com Phone (208) 288-0151 Fax (208) 917-6160 P.S. Here's a joke for you! I should have known the cemetery sale was a scam. I mean, it was a dead giveaway.