Investment scams are one of the biggest scams affecting seniors. They get a mailing, call, or email telling them about a new investment that’s helping seniors make a lot of cash in a hurry.
One scammer targeted elderly clients by having them move money from their accounts to other accounts that they thought were affiliates. They were actually companies he created. He spent the funds on himself and his family and to keep his Ponzi-style scam going. When he was arrested, he’d bilked 30 seniors out of close to $3 million.
Grandparent scams are common, and some seniors keep falling for the caller’s plea. The scam starts with a phone call from a grandchild who has been arrested, hospitalized, or robbed. The young adult is in desperate need of money. The caller is actually a scammer who has used the internet to find out family information.
Because the caller knows personal details and names, the senior falls for the scam and wires money. Seniors need to hang up, call the grandchild or parents of the grandchild and see if the grandchild is truly in a bind.
Tech support scams may come in a phone call or a message on the computer. It may start with a loud pop-up message saying that the computer has a virus and that a call to the toll-free number is needed to remove the virus. Nothing seems to get rid of the messages. If you call the number, they say they can fix it for a payment.
The call may also come through a phone call from a well-known computer company like Windows or Microsoft and that you have a virus. They can fix it over the phone if you give them some information and pay a fee.
Many seniors come from a generation where answering the phone and being polite to the caller was the norm.
They get an email that seems official. They don’t like doing the wrong thing. Scammers know that and try to target seniors for that reason. If your parent is home alone, companionship services from an elder care agency can help.
Caregivers can answer the phone and help your parents identify scams. In addition, elder care services can include things like answering the phone, helping with scheduling, and completing light cleaning tasks. Call an agency to get started.
Co-Owner, First Choice Senior Care
Kayla Stephens is the co-owner of First Choice Senior Care. She grew up in Northeast Arkansas, and has worked in rehabilitation, hospice care, managed nursing homes and a large home care agency. She has received several awards for sales and quality achievements in hospice and long-term care.
Kayla believes in advocating for and educating seniors and their families on a variety of topics and issues that impact them. Reflecting on the need for an independent home care provider interested in quality over quantity, she chased her dream of building her own company that would make a significant difference in the lives of seniors, providing a much-needed service in her own local community.
Kayla holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas State University, is licensed by the state of Arkansas as a Long-Term Care Administrator, and is a Certified Senior Adviser.
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