July 09, 2019
I am so sensitive and get downright irate when I think about the scammers who target us older people. I am constantly answering questions for my friends if this is a scam or that is a scam.
I'm surprised by a couple of my friends who I thought were savvy but fell victim to a scam.
Seniors are targeted for various reasons. Many have strong credit and a large nest egg that scam artists set their sites on. We may be more trusting, or less likely to report scams because of fear it signals we can't manage our own affairs anymore.
"People who grew up in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s were generally raised to be polite and trusting," says the FBI. "Con artists exploit these traits, knowing that it is difficult or impossible for these individuals to say 'no' or just hang up the telephone."
Below are 4 of the most common scams that have been extremely effective and debilitating to seniors.
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Anisa
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1. Social Security Scams
Some 35,000 people reported losing a total of $10 million to these scams last year, according to the FTC. And remember, that's just the people who both realized they had been defrauded and reported it to the federal government.
VERY IMPORTANT: You should know that the SSA will never call to threaten your benefits or suggest you move money.
A typical version of the scam goes like this: You get a phone call that appears to be from the real phone number for the Social Security Administration (1-800-772-1213). A voice tells you that your Social Security number has been suspended because of suspicious or criminal activity.
The voice asks you to confirm your Social Security number. It warns you that your bank account will be seized, and suggests you move money onto gift cards and share the numbers and PINs for those.
The call is not really from the SSA. Someone just made it appear as if the call were coming from the real number - a practice known as "spoofing."
The caller likely won't know your Social Security number until you tell them. Your bank account isn't going to be seized, and your money is safer in the bank than on gift cards, in cash, or wired to anywhere else.
Never give your Social Security number, bank information or credit card number to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If you have any doubts about whether the SSA is actually contacting you, you can always go to the official government website,
SSA.gov. Click on "Contact Us" for a current phone number, email address or office location and directly contact the agency yourself.
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2. Medicare Card Scams
Over the past year or so, the federal government has replaced old Medicare cards and Medicare identification numbers with ones that do not reflect seniors' Social Security numbers, as we detailed last year in "What You Must Know About the New Medicare Card You Will Get Soon."
The goal of that change was to thwart scammers who could use your Social Security number for fraud, but ironically it created a new scam opportunity.
Variations of this scam include a purported "Medicare representative" calling to ask you to verify your Medicare number - new or old - to send you a new card for a fee.
Note that both old and new Medicare numbers can be used for identity theft, as we reported in "How to Avoid Scams That Target Your New Medicare Card."
Medicare won't call you unsolicited. They will likely communicate by mail.
3. Computer Security Scams
While anybody can fall victim to this type of scam, the FTC has reported on recent organized tech support scams targeting seniors.
A typical scenario involves a call from someone claiming to be from an established technology company like MicroSoft, even if they're not necessarily known for computer security specifically.
The caller warns that hackers are likely to break into your computer and rob your bank account, and then offers the sale and installation of security software.
Once a victim agrees, the caller will give instructions that allow the scammer to remotely connect to the victim's computer, supposedly to install that security software. But while the scammer is doing that, they help themselves to personal information. They may even create new "security threats" on your computer so they can call back later and offer to "fix" them for an additional fee.
The advice here is to ignore unsolicited offers to help beef up your computer security, especially if they involve remotely accessing your computer.
If you aren't confident that your computer is safe, find a reputable service where you can get face-to-face assistance and ask questions about what software you should install and safety procedures to follow.
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4. Grandparent Scams
Maybe the oldest one around but still one of the most effective!
This scam usually starts with a phone call from someone pretending to be the victim's grandchild and in need of cash because of legal trouble.
The caller might offer an embarrassing sob story about being caught drinking while driving. They play it and will actually be crying to draw attention away from the unrecognized voice of a stranger.
Then they plead for help and ask the victim not to tell anyone, and to send cash in a specific way, often in envelopes between pages of a magazine.
In many cases the scammer has done homework and found out actual information on the grandkids from social media, or wait for the confused victim to give a cue as to whom they should be impersonating.
One of the best strategies here is to carefully guard your privacy, leaving it to callers to identify themselves. Don't say things like, "Is that you, Mikey?"
Limit your social media profiles to actual friends and family, and don't accept unexpected friend requests. That includes ones from people you know, because scammers often impersonate others' names and photos to gain access to your social media profiles that way. Verify that an actual friend or relative sent the request, such as by calling the person to confirm.
If you get a call and are uncertain about the caller's authenticity, you can simply offer to "see what you can do" and end the call. Then, try to contact the alleged victim directly to see if it was a legitimate call.
In Closing...
Always be on your guard. Don't ever give personal information out.
If you get a call that "sounds" legitimate STILL don't give information. Instead tell them you will call the number you have on file and take care of this... meaning:
If it is a so-called credit card company. Look on the back of your credit card and call the number ON THE CARD.
If it is a bank calling... call your bank directly.
If it is Medicare or Social Security... again call them directly.
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