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This Podcast is from BBB of the Tri-Counties.
A BIG Thank you to Ayers Automotive Repairs in Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast!
Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Like many of us, older adults
are often targeted by con artists. Many victims don’t ask for help until it is too late! Help
your friends, family, clients, or patients avoid fraud by knowing the signs of current or
impending fraud.
Warning signs that fraud may occur:
● Frequent junk mail and spam calls. Incoming junk mail (illegitimate sweepstakes
offers, etc.) or receiving frequent calls from people offering valuable rewards or
asking for charitable donations are signs that fraud could easily occur or may
have already occurred.
● Unfamiliar payments are being made. Checks written or payments made to
unfamiliar or out-of-state companies should be a red flag.
● Acting secretively about phone calls or messages. When someone hides or acts
secretively about phone calls and messages, it could signify that they have
engaged a scammer.
● Sudden problems paying bills or buying food and other necessities. A sudden
lack of funds could mean an individual’s money is being drained in some form of
scam activity. The cause should be investigated to rule out fraud.
Tips for helping your loved one avoid fraud
● Become familiar with common scams targeting older adults. Knowing the most
common tactics used to target older adults can help you more quickly identify
when scams occur.
● Emphasize the criminal nature of telemarketing and email fraud. Help your loved
one learn how to identify it and help them understand that these tactics are
illegal. In participating, it is possible they could be pulled into criminal activity
unknowingly.
● Encourage the person to ignore phone calls and messages that appear
suspicious. Don’t reply to or click links within emails or text messages they are
unfamiliar with.
● Have a calm discussion about securing accounts and monitoring finances.
Helping older adults monitor their finances can be a great way to prevent scam
activity and identify if it has occurred.
● Help the person change their phone number. If constant calls continue, changing
the person’s phone number may be worth changing. Registering the number
with the Do Not Call list is a great first step, although scammers won’t necessarily
follow the Do-Not-Call list laws. If unsafe calls continue, it may be best to change
the phone number.
Recognizing abuse against older adults:
The most common types of abuse are physical, emotional, financial, and verbal. The
National Council on Aging says up to five million older Americans are abused yearly,
and the annual loss by victims of financial abuse is estimated to be at least $36.5 billion.
In Canada, over 10 percent of older adults are victims of crime, and some experience
violent crimes or physical abuse.
BBB recommends that family, friends, and caregivers learn the signs of abuse or
neglect in older adults. Business owners dealing in the industry can share these signs
with employees.
Until next time!