Top 10 Senior Scams and How to Avoid Them, from A Place for Mom
Crooks around the world defraud millions of people each day. They use the phone, internet, email and snail mail. They span vast geographic areas and create clever schemes to get victims to spend money or give out their personal information.
Sadly, senior citizens are tricked by con-artist because they can be seen as easy targets. They appear vulnerable due to decline in hearing and eyesight, a lesser understanding of the internet and technology, and of course, because of their good old fashioned trust.
My Friends at A Place For Mom wrote this article on the Top 10 Senior Scams and How to Avoid Them which we should all be aware of. Scam artists are smart, but if we warn and educate our older loved ones about these frauds we can help protect them and their life savings...
"Scammers are evil but not stupid. They prey on targets of opportunity. Seniors are often vulnerable to cons because of cognitive problems that can impair judgement. Isolation and sometimes loneliness can also make seniors dangerously trusting. Furthermore, technological naivete can lead to seniors falling for scams that involve techno-babble or financial jargon: 'Your credit card battery has died and I just need some information from you to recharge it over the air.'
You’re unlikely to fall for a scam that you’ve been forewarned about, so we have compiled a list of 10 common scams that are draining the savings of seniors across the U.S."
To read the full A Place For Mom article - Click Here
Joan Lunden truly exemplifies today’s modern working woman. An award-winning journalist, bestselling author, motivational speaker, successful entrepreneur, one of America’s most recognized and trusted television personalities, this mom of seven continues to do it all. As host of Good Morning America for nearly two decades, Lunden brought insight to top issues for millions of Americans each day. The longest running host ever on early morning television, Lunden reported from 26 countries, covered 4 presidents and 5 Olympics and kept Americans up to date on how to care for their homes, their families and themselves.