It is Sunday and on the weekends I try to be an FYI blog….since I am one of those old farts and many of my visitors are senior citizens or close to it I feel that I need to warn them about scams that target us older people.
I have been contacted by someone claiming that my SS account has been suspended….it is a scam and I did not fall for it…….there are others and this article pin points some of the most common….
Many scams are universal, from the IRS imposter who calls and threatens to arrest you if you don’t pay your taxes, to phishing emails that trick you into sending sensitive data or downloading malware onto your computer. But some types of fraud target older adults specifically or affect them disproportionately. Older adults may fall for certain scams because they are in the habit of answering calls from unknown callers, open junk mail rather than tossing it in the trash, or are not as practiced with the privacy settings on social media as younger generations.
“Older adults make great targets because they have accumulated assets over time and are living off their savings,” says Larry Santucci, who coauthored a report about elder financial victimization for the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. “Some are also very lonely or socially isolated, which makes them susceptible to exploitation.” Moreover, cognitive decline—which hampers your ability to gauge risk or sense that something is awry—starts seeping in as early as your 50s. It may lead to diminished financial capacity, compromising your ability to handle your own money.
Here are six scams that you and your parents should watch out for.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/6-scams-that-prey-on-the-elderly
Please be careful when you are contacted by any of these scams…..DO NOT give them any information until you can verify they are legit.
Some times it is difficult living in these times as a senior….you really do not need some d/bag trying to relieve you of your cash.
BE CAREFUL!
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”