Senior Fraud: Tips to Avoid Scammers

Most seniors have worked their whole lives to enjoy retirement. They have paid their homes off, supported their children, and maybe even saved a little extra to retire comfortably. Then one day your Grandfather gets a call that from their “financial institution” and the person on the other end is requesting their bank information promptly. The person sounds official. They sound credible. So next thing you know, all that hard work and savings is gone. This is sadly what is happening to many older adults in America. Scammers.

Scammers are skilled in knowing what to say to make the story seem credible and new schemes develop constantly. Sadly, seniors are prime targets for fraud because they tend to be more trusting and have financial savings. Some seniors can be forgetful and not be as tech savvy. The people hit hardest — for an average loss of $45,300 — were ages 70 to 79. (aarp.com)

Tips to Protect Your Loved Ones

It is important to help protect your loved ones from becoming a victim of a scam.  Here are a few ways to help protect your loved ones.

  • NEVER give any personal identifiable information or financial information to unverified people on the phone.
  • A scammer will typically say there is some type of time-sensitive urgency to the situation. Make sure you gather all the facts to verify the request of the caller.
  • Make sure your computer is up to date with anti-virus software. Ask a family member to help you with this. If you need to ask a family
  • Add your phone number to the Do Not Call registry here 
  • Hire help at home from Dunwoody at Home to help screen your calls and protect you from scammers

Learn more about the renowned history of caring we are proud to instill in our senior home care services at Dunwoody At Home. Request a consult today and speak with one of our senior home care and caregiver services experts.