Fraud targeting senior citizens is a growing concern as millions have
fallen victim to scammers. Better Business Bureau encourages families
to keep the lines of communication open with their elders regarding
finances and to recognize some common cons targeting senior citizens.
According to a June 2010 survey by Investor Protection Trust, more
than 7.3 million senior citizens—roughly 20 percent of Americans aged 65
or older--already have “been taken advantage of financially in terms of
an inappropriate investment, unreasonably high fees for financial
services, or outright fraud.”
“Having a serious conversation with your elderly parents about how
they are managing their money is not easy, but it is extremely important
in order to help protect them from unscrupulous crooks,” said Alison
Southwick, BBB spokesperson. “It’s extremely important to keep the lines
of communication open so that you can identify suspicious spending
habits, as well as educate your elder family members on recognizing the
red flags of common cons.”
BBB warns against the following three scams that commonly target senior citizens:
Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams –Typically, the victim
receives a letter in the mail stating they have won a lottery or
sweepstakes; it might even claim to be from Publisher’s Clearing House
or Reader’s Digest. The letter instructs the victim to deposit an
enclosed check and then wire a portion back to the company to cover
taxes or administration fees. While the funds will initially show up in
the bank account, the money will be removed when the bank determines the
check is fake. The victim is out whatever they wired back to the
scammers—often amounting to thousands of dollars.
- BBB Advice: Never wire money to someone you don’t
know. You should never have to send money to receive any winnings from a
lottery or sweepstakes.
Medicare Scams – Navigating the Medicare system
isn’t easy and some scammers will look for any opportunity to take
advantage of the confusion. Commonly, a scammer will claim to be with
Medicare and ask for personal information such as Medicare, Medicaid,
social security, credit card or bank account numbers. The victim might
be given any number of excuses to provide this information including
that an error needs to be fixed, that he or she is part of a survey or
eligible to receive free products or can sign up for a new prescription
drug plan.
- BBB Advice: Remind your elderly family members that
Medicare will never call to ask for sensitive personal financial
information. If you suspect fraud contact your local police or the
Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General at 800-HHS-TIPS.
Bereavement Scams – Scammers will often try to take
advantage of the increased vulnerability of senior citizens who have
recently lost a loved one, such as a spouse. In one recent example, a
mother and daughter team in Ohio would find targets by scouring the
obituaries. They would then call the widow or widower and claim that
their spouse had outstanding debts that needed to be paid immediately.
Victims would then provide a blank check or credit card.
- BBB Advice: Offer help to elderly family members if
they have recently lost a loved one and are inexperienced in managing
finances. If you are uncertain about owing a debt when collectors call,
ask for written confirmation.
Deceptive Professionals – While many scams targeting
senior citizens might not have a face, some scammers will be invited in
the front door including technicians, contractors, chimney sweeps, air
duct cleaners and other services. Some professionals will lie about the
extent of the problem or claim safety issues and then inflate prices for
unsuspecting senior customers.
- BBB Advice – Find professionals you can trust by
checking out BBB’s directory of Accredited Businesses. Always research a
company with BBB before you hand over any money and report any
deceptive services to your BBB, local law enforcement and the state
Attorney General.
Investment and Work at Home Opportunities - Promises
of easy money often target older adults because they may be looking to
supplement their income. The pitch might come in the form of an
investment opportunity that promises big returns, or as a way to make
money at home for an upfront cost. Regardless of the specifics, the
victim is offered what sounds like a great opportunity but the extra
income never materializes.
- BBB Advice: Always research any work at home
opportunity with BBB. Beware of investment or money-making offers that
seem too good to be true or use high pressure sales tactics to get you
to sign up immediately.
For more advice on avoiding scams and fraud visit: www.bbb.org/us/consumer-tips-scams/