BALTIMORE — Scams are at an all-time high and older people continue to be a main target.
One in five caregivers reported that their loved one lost money to fraud and more than half noted a loss of $1,000 or more, according to an AARP survey.
Scammers use tactics to intentionally deceive older adults. They pretend to be government agencies, pressure victims to act quickly, and trick them into keeping the scheme a secret.
WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii recently received an email from a local caregiver whose mom was victimized.
The scammer claimed she’d won money, told her not to tell anyone, and to send money for taxes and fees. The woman’s 79-year-old mom mailed two checks totaling $13,500.
While her mom wanted to wait to see if the man was telling the truth, the family contacted Sofastaii, who instructed them to call the bank and cancel the checks. The bank stopped the checks before they could clear.
“And that’s a really significant amount, especially to an older adult who is at a time in their life when they don’t have as much time to financially recover from a scam,” said Amy Goyer, AARP’s Family and Caregiving expert.
The AARP continues to receive scam reports involving government impostors, callers demanding utility payments, or someone claiming to be a grandchild in need of urgent help.
Goyer recommends caregivers regularly discuss scams with their loved ones.
“Practice with your loved ones, role play. If you get a call about this, what’re you going to say? And you…
