But make no mistake, this can be a costly scam. Of course, the scammer might gain your trust by waiting weeks or months to ask for anything. So, if you suspect anything, ask questions only that family member would know or call another family member and verify the claims.įraudsters establish an online romantic or friendly relationship with a senior, only to con them out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. But of course, the real reason is that other family members would verify it’s a scam. Finally, they might ask you not to tell other family members because they’re embarrassed about the situation. Then, they ask for money to be sent urgently, often by wire transfer or gift cards - these cannot be rescinded. The scammer then often pretends to be in a dire situation, such as being stuck away from home and needing money to return, in jail, or unable to pay an important bill. Scammers contacts a senior and pretends to be their grandchild. It’s best to stick to your care provider’s recommendations on getting your medicine. In the more dangerous version, they sell you less effective or phony medication. But, after they get your payment or medical insurance information, they disappear and use it to steal your money. Scammers advertise prescription drugs that work better or are less expensive than your current drugs. Use Charity Navigator or a similar site to find legitimate charities for your donation. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to ensure that your money goes to legitimate relief rather than a black-hearted thief. They often use an ongoing humanitarian crisis to get you to act emotionally and urgently, asking you to send money immediately. Scammers prey on this generosity through fake charity scams. It’s best to stick with well-known repair businesses or get referrals from friends and neighbors. They charge an initial deposit or do subpar work, then disappear with your money. But they are merely after your personal and financial information. So, again, never send money or provide sensitive information to any entity without independently verifying their credentials.Ĭrooks offer home improvements or repairs, especially in areas recently hit by natural disasters. And, as is familiar with scams, they might ask you for personal or financial information. But, of course, there is no prize or sweepstakes. They might ask for a fee to cover the prize or sweepstakes entry postage. Thieves contact you via phone, email, text, or letter congratulating you for winning a prize or being eligible for grand sweepstakes. Never blindly trust an incoming call or email call the number on your card or documents. This is all to get your personal information to sell to an identity thief. Their ruse will likely involve a claim that you need a new Medicare card or that you are eligible for a further discount or more coverage. #Decipher textmessage scam softwareSo never download any software you are unsure of, and always call legitimate tech support that you research yourself.Ĭrooks impersonate a Medicare representative to get your personal and medical information. Instead, it’s to get your credit card or personal information. All of these have one aim: not to improve your computer. In addition, you might be prompted to buy new software or virus protection or to call tech support. #Decipher textmessage scam updatePopup ads might appear on your computer that warn you that your computer is infected or defective and needs an update to be downloaded. So watch out for deals that seem too good to be true, typos, or odd URL addresses that don’t match the brand. In fact, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) **, this scam was the most frequent fraud reported by seniors last year. And make no mistake, these can look very convincing, offer great deals, and are highly prevalent. The FBI says that seniors are frequent targets of scammers because they are generally more trusting, have more savings, own a home, and have good credit.įortunately, keeping the gold in your golden years is not too difficult with our security tips.ġ1 Common Scams Against Seniors: Online Shopping ScamsĬrooks create websites and social media accounts that look like legitimate retailers when they are merely facades to get your payment information or to sell you stolen merchandise. In fact, according to the FBI * millions of seniors lose a total of over $3 billion every year to fraudsters. Unfortunately, scammers see seniors’ golden years as their golden ticket. Your golden years are supposed to be carefree, relaxing, and financially stable. #Decipher textmessage scam how toHow to Keep the Gold in Your Golden Years
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