According to a new FBI report, seniors who are over the age of 60 lost more than 3 billion dollars to scammers in 2023 alone. That number keeps climbing every year, and those are just the losses that are reported. It’s very common for seniors who have been scammed to not report what happened to them. They may feel ashamed, or think that the damage is done so they don’t report it.
But getting scammed is never your senior parent’s fault. If your loved one does get scammed, be supportive and understanding. Scammers are getting more sophisticated, and they’re using new tools like AI to help them create scams that are even harder to spot.
One tool that can help your mom or dad avoid getting scammed is having home care assistance. When seniors have home care assistance,, they have someone with them day to day who can answer the phone, help your mom or dad pay the bills, and help them manage their social media. A home care provider can help your senior parent see red flags that could indicate a scam like these:
Unsolicited Calls or Emails
Scammers often contact seniors out of the blue, posing as representatives from banks, government agencies, or other trusted organizations. If your mom or dad receives an unsolicited call or email asking for personal information they should immediately hang up. A home care provider answering the phone is a great way to intercept these calls before your senior mom or dad gets on the line.
Requests for Personal Information
Legitimate organizations will never ask for sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or passwords via phone or email. If someone asks for this information, it's likely a scam. This includes credit card numbers. Make sure that your mom or dad knows to never give out personal information on the phone or in a response to an email.
Urgent or Threatening Language
Scammers often use scare tactics to create a sense of urgency, claiming that immediate action is required to avoid severe consequences, like legal action or financial loss. This is designed to pressure the victim into acting without thinking. A great way to prevent these kinds of scams from being successful is to have your parent tell the person on the phone they will have to call back or to hand the phone to a home care provider.
Too Good to Be True Offers
This is a scam that unfortunately often works on seniors. Your mom or dad should always be wary of offers that seem too good to be true, such as winning a lottery, being chosen to receive a free vacation, or receiving a large inheritance from an unknown relative. These offers often come with a catch, such as needing to pay a fee upfront. If your senior parent received calls or emails that seem too good to be true, tell them to send you the email or tell the caller to call you.
Payment Requests via Untraceable Methods
Scammers often ask for payment through methods that are hard to trace and recover, such as wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. Legitimate businesses and organizations do not request payment through these methods. If your senior parent wants to buy a gift card for someone as a holiday gift or for a birthday, have their home care provider get it while they are running errands to prevent your mom or dad from getting scammed.
Source:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/elderly-americans-lost-34-billion-scams-2023-fbi/story?id=109783683
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care assistance in Lake Mary, FL, please contact the caring staff at Homewatch CareGivers of Winter Garden today! (689) 267-3005
Homewatch CareGivers of Winter Garden provides exceptional home care for seniors in Winter Garden, Winter Park, Ocoee, Apopka, Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Casselberry, Celebration, Windermere, and surrounding areas.
