For most of us, the holidays are full of giving, getting, and goodwill. But some bad actors use the holidays to take advantage of people’s generous spirits and frequently target older members of our communities more vulnerable to scammers and con artists.
Billions of dollars are estimated to be lost by senior adults each year to scammers, according to the National Council on Aging.
Federal, state, and local officials across the country have alerted consumers, particularly older people, to be aware of several holiday fraud schemes.
If purchasing gifts over a phone or laptop, make sure it’s on a secure network, use a credit card, and keep receipts.
If purchasing gift cards at a store, take one directly from the counter, not off the rack.
When expecting a lot of packages over the holidays, shippers will often provide updates on the status of an order.
Knowing this, scammers send phishing emails pretending to be from companies like FedEx and UPS to lure a person to phony webpages in order to share personal information.
Look closely at delivery notifications and email updates before clicking on links or input information. UPS and FedEx won’t ask for personal information via email.
Packages that stack up outside on the porch are also tempting. Consider tracking packages so you’ll know when they’ve arrived. Setting up a different delivery address with a neighbor who is home during the day or your workplace to ensure packages are delivered…
