Written By: Dementia Consultant Theresa Klein, OTR/L.
Each year thousands of Americans are impacted by fraud and scams that threaten them, their personal information and finances. Seniors, 60+ and older, are often the main target of these scams with over 101,000+ complaints filed in 2023, and over $3.4 billion dollars lost to scammers. Both healthy seniors and those with cognitive impairment can fall victim to this fraudulent activity.
The good news is that there are things you can do to protect you and your family.
1. Stay educated on the latest scams. They are always changing and evolving so stay up to date.
2. Inform yourself, your children, and your parents of these scams, all generations are vulnerable.
3. Never give out personal information over the phone or in an email. Most government agencies, banks, and credit card companies share/request information via mail.
4. If you are involved in a phone call or email that you are unsure about, trust your gut, end the conversation. Then contact the agency or company directly to clarify or determine if the call or email was legitimate.
5. Regularly monitor bank and credit card statements as well as credit reports. If you find irregular or unfamiliar activity, contact the company immediately.
6. Do not save credit card and banking numbers online.
7. Do not use public Wi-Fi connections (i.e. airports, restaurants, hotels, etc.) when making purchases, banking, etc.
8. Do not answer quiz questions on social media sites. For example, “What was your mother’s maiden name.” “What was the name of your 1st pet?” “What was the name of your elementary school?”
9. For those that are vulnerable, children and seniors with cognitive impairment consider limiting access to computers, cellular phones, websites and social media accounts.
10. For seniors with cognitive impairment recommend:
- Placing on do not call list. https://www.donotcall.gov/
- Filtering mail for the seniors before they receive it.
- Monitor and regularly unsubscribe the senior from junk emails and texts.
- Family manages finances, limit access to money sources, consider automatic bill paying.
- Limit computer use to games and movies versus internet access.
- If the senior will use the computer, use the computer with the supervision of another.
- Limit access to text messaging.
- Limit access to cellular phone. Consider use of a landline https://a.co/d/i0jYqqI
- Consider a cell phone with limited capabilities; Activate FDN “Fixed Dialing Network” which limits the numbers that the senior can call.
- Family regularly monitor history on computer and cell phones.
- Family regularly monitors bank and credit card statements.
For more information on common types of scams go to the AARP website to view these videos: https://states.aarp.org/virginia/aarp-fraud-videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch v=Y2OwiTUkOI8
Join us next month for Part 3 of Elder Fraud & Common Scams
“What To Do If You Or A Loved One Have Been Scammed”