Protecting Your Seniors From Fraud
Elder care providers and family can help protect seniors from fraud and scams.
Seniors are unfortunately at risk of being victims of fraud, and it can have devastating impacts. As the summer rolls to a high point, more and more scammers are on the loose. Scammers make it their job to find seniors and potentially steal massive amounts of money.
Protecting your senior loved one from scammers can be difficult, but family and elder care services can help. Keeping an eye on who calls, emails, and messages your loved one will help protect them from scammers, and teaching them how to spot a scam will be crucial for them as they choose to age in place.
Never Let Pressure Get To You
If you are a senior who just picks up the phone and someone is pressuring you into trying to buy something, don’t let it work. This is a scare tactic to get a credit card number and no one on the phone should ever be pressuring you. If it is a professional business, they will not encourage over-the-phone sales, and no one will ask for your information without proof of being with a business.
If elder care or family members hear a senior get frustrated, they can encourage a senior to hang up the phone and help them block the number.
Maintain Skepticism
If you know who is calling, you can relax and listen to whoever is speaking. However, seniors should avoid picking up calls from people they don’t know, and if they do pick up, they should always remain skeptical. Never agree to anything; if it seems wrong, hang up before you say too much. A scammer can now take someone’s voice and use it in nefarious ways to get money or get family members to give up money.
Research a Company
Sometimes, a collection agency or a business calls or reaches out to a senior, and it may be legitimate. However, even if a senior believes it is not a scam, they should not give their information over the phone. They are allowed to take their time and research a company to ensure it is a legitimate phone call and that the information they receive is accurate.
If a senior starts to feel any pressure, it is a sign that things are wrong. Most collections agencies have very nice employees and will not harass or be mean to a senior.
Don’t Give Out Sensitive Information
Scammers will pretend to be various people to get the information they need, including a charity, bank, or anything else. If a senior is tempted to donate money, they should go to the charity’s website to ensure it is real and donate on the official site. They should never give their information to a stranger over the phone, no matter how convincing they are.
A bank representative will also never ask for information over the phone unless a senior is requesting information and the senior is the one who calls the bank line. Anyone calling a senior not from an official bank number should be handled with skepticism. If a senior has any questions, they should hang up and go into their physical bank.
Regular visits from family and support from elder care providers give aging seniors someone to discuss these situations with and watchful eyes and ears for their protection.
If you or someone you know needs help with Elder Care in Lowell, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 560-4057 for more information.
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