As mentioned in the previous article, scams involving seniors are on the rise in the United States. If you are a senior or a caregiver of an older adult, please share the following tips from the Council on Aging on how to avoid senior scams:
Don’t make any payments in advance for any type of services.
Only allow close family members or friends to write checks or have any type of power of attorney for you.
Never lend money or expensive belongings to people who are working for you.
Don’t give out any personal information via phone or email. Your bank and health insurance company ALREADY has your information. These institutions have no reason to email you asking you to send them data they already have.
Don’t agree to accept free medical information in exchange for your Medicare number.
Be on guard regarding ANY AND ALL strangers who come to your door, send you an email or call you on the phone. Don’t be afraid to be rude, hang up the phone or don’t open the door if you are unsure of someone’s intention-particularly if it’s a stranger.
If you are unsure of someone’s intentions, withhold any decision and talk to others who you trust before making a purchasing decision or giving out ANY personal or financial information.
If you feel you are being scammed call the local authorities immediately, not only will you be preventing yourself from being a victim of a scam, you may also be helping other potential victims.
Learn more about topics for caregivers by CLICKING HERE to join our 25 lesson course at AlzU.org today.
