Scammers beware. 2016 is the year seniors resolve to fight back and stop becoming easy targets. Financial scams aimed at seniors are considered “crimes of the 21st century.” From email and phone calls to mail, criminals use all sorts of methods to steal from unsuspecting seniors. According to recent reports on elder financial abuse: Seniors lose $36.48 billion each year to scams.* Elderly victims reported losing an average of $30,000, while some suffered losses of more than $100,000.**
The company SYNERGY HomeCare wants to help stop this crime spree targeting the elderly by arming seniors and their families with valuable information on how to spot a scam and their free downloadable “SYNERGY HomeCare Senior Scam Alert guide” lists the top eight most common scams that target seniors, along with the warning signs of each scam and information on how to avoid becoming a victim.
Silver Scam Alert! The illicit eight includes:
• Contractor fraud
• Romance scams
• Phishing
• Grandparent scams
• Overpayment scams
• Medicare scams
• Bogus charities
• Prize award calls and mail
“Scammers recruit their victims in various ways, but the goal is the same — to fool their victims into giving away either their hard-earned money or to steal their identity,” says Peter Tourian, Founder and CEO of SYNERGY HomeCare, a leading in-home senior care company with offices in our area. “We’re tired of con artists taking advantage of seniors, so we decided to help seniors fight back by creating a guide outlining the latest scams and giving them the tips and tools to help them avoid becoming victims.”
Easy Targets
Why are seniors easy prey? Seniors tend to be more trusting, plus they are thought to have a significant amount of money sitting in their accounts.
Crime But No Punishment
Seniors typically don’t report the crime either because they’re afraid or embarrassed. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimates that for every one case that gets recognized, dozens more go unreported. Financial crimes are also hard to prosecute, and it’s even tougher to recoup any losses. The key is spotting a scam before becoming a victim!
Knowledge is power.
You can Go to: www.synergyhomecare.com/media-room/audiovideo/2016/senior-scam-alert-guide/
