Common Senior Scams and How to Avoid Them
Scams come in all shapes and sizes. They can be elaborate or simple, targeted or random, and they can come from strangers or people you thought you could trust. There are dozens of scams that seniors are vulnerable to, and while most of these scams affect people of all ages, seniors are particularly susceptible. Seniors are also likely to be targeted by scam artists because they are less likely to be able to report the crime. Personal care at home can help and prevent scams from happening to your senior, as it also provides them with the care they need in their own home.
Personal Care at Home Ventura CA – Common Senior Scams and How to Avoid Them
Seniors are often targets for three reasons: they are easier to manipulate, they have a large amount of disposable income, and they have a better chance of succeeding because they are more likely to have the trust of their friends and family.
Common Senior Scams
Investment Scam- This is the most insidious of the major scams because it is also the hardest to avoid because these scams often seem like legitimate investments, and they take advantage of the fact that many seniors do not do much research into investments. They often take advantage of the fact that seniors are often less tech-savvy than their children, and use websites and emails that look like official bank sites and emails.
Tax Scam- Seniors are often targeted by scam artists who tell them that they can get a tax refund if they pay a certain amount of money. The scam artist will often tell the senior to wire the money to them.
Lottery Scams- This scam is the simplest, but also the most common. There are many lottery scams that use simple spam mail to get seniors to send money. There are also many lottery scams that make use of fake websites.
Grandchild Scam- This scam involves a caller falsely claiming to be a grandchild in trouble. They will tell the grandparent that they have been arrested, in a car accident, or been in an accident and need money.
Power Company Scam- This scam is similar to the Grandparent Scam. The caller will tell the senior that they owe their power company money and unless they pay it immediately, the power will be shut off.
How to Avoid Scams
The first step to avoiding scams is to know what scams are common. The most common way to avoid these scams is to make sure your senior is not giving out personal information, or wiring money to anyone.
The most common warning signs of a scam are:
- The offer seems too good to be true.
- The offer involves wiring money to someone.
- The offer requires your senior to do something without knowing who they are dealing with.
- Your senior is asked to sign a document without knowing what it is.
The financial troubles of the baby boomers have been widely reported, and seniors are targeted by con artists with increasing frequency. The combination of their trusting nature and the fact that they often have substantial net worth makes them easy prey for the fraudsters. We can provide the best personal care at home for your senior. Give us a call and book a consultation today!
Sources: https://www.ncoa.org/article/protection-from-senior-scams
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Personal Care at Home Services in Ventura CA, please contact the caring staff at Assisting Hearts Home Care today. Proudly Serving the Los Angeles & Ventura County. Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! (805) 371-0033, (818) 593-0094.
Our team is comprised of highly experienced and dedicated professionals who are focused on providing exceptional in-home care services to our clients and their families.We are proud to have served thousands of individuals and families since our inception.
Assisting Hearts Home Care was established in 2008 by two professionals a husband and wife team who started the company after personally experiencing the challenges of caring for their aging parents and grandparents. They experienced first-hand at how difficult it was to find care that worked around your schedule and not the schedule of the agency with caring and dedicated caregivers. Since January 2008 Assisting Hearts Home Care has been owned and operated by Robert Ruetschle.Prior to opening Assisting Hearts Home Care, Robert was in upper management of a national pharmaceutical manufacturing company and he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. Robert is passionate about supporting our older adult community and helping individuals age with dignity and grace in their own homes.
It is our mission to give peace of mind to our clients and their families by providing exceptional care.Our caregivers are also supported by an office staff of Senior Advisors and advanced CNA’s.Our team looks forward to getting to know each client and family personally.
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