PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — This week’s FBI Portland Tech Tuesday feature focuses on safeguarding you and your loved ones from elder fraud schemes.
You’re entering the final season in your life, and you’ve worked hard over the years to earn enough to live comfortably. But your nest egg could be just tempting enough to be the target of scammers looking to take it from you. The FBI, alongside other federal law enforcement and protection agencies is warning elder Americans – beware of scammers. This message also applies to those looking out for elders – many times we take care of our elders, including managing finances.
Seniors can be especially vulnerable targets to attackers – the usually have financial savings, own a home, have good credit – just to name a few. They also may be less inclined to report fraud because they are either ashamed at having been scammed or might not know how.
Some of the most common elder fraud schemes committed include romance scams – where an elder may be looking for love online and is convinced to give money to someone they’ve never met in person. Another big scam is the so-called “Grandparent scam,” where criminals pose as a relative – usually a child or grandchild and claiming to be in immediate financial need.
Tech support scams targeting elders also make up a significant number of reports compiled by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Other common elder fraud schemes can include…
