Scammers are continuing to find new ways to commit elder fraud over the phone. They target seniors for many reasons, but there are preventative steps you can take and tips to follow so you or your loved ones don’t become one of the many new victims each year.
Elder fraud
From prizes that seem too good to be true to creative ways to convince you that someone needs your help, millions of scams successfully steal money from seniors. The FBI reports $3 billion lost annually from elder fraud, and while you may think you won’t be the next target, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
People above the age of 65 are the most targeted these days because seniors often:
- Have good credit
- Are financially secure
- Are trustworthy
HOW TO FACETIME ON ANDROID DEVICES
Here’s how to keep your older loved ones from becoming victims of phone scams.
5 common ways seniors are targeted in phone scams
1. Tech support or home repair scam
If you receive a phone call from someone offering tech support – i.e. someone offering to help fix something in your home or claiming to be Amazon or another big company and saying they can help you avoid fraud – you should be very wary. Don’t trust any call out of the blue even if they say they work for a brand or company you recognize.
2. Relative phone scam
A common phone scam is when you receive a phone call claiming to be a…
