New Tips To Help Seniors Avoid Getting Scammed

According to the latest figures scams are still a source of huge financial losses for seniors. In 2023 the amount of money lost to scams increased, and so did the average amount of money that individual seniors lost to scams. Home care assistance services are still a good way to help seniors avoid getting scammed.

Home Care Assistance Franklin Lakes NJ – New Tips To Help Seniors Avoid Getting Scammed

AI has made scams even more sophisticated. Now scammers can use AI to mimic the voices and faces of people that seniors know to convince them that someone they know is in trouble and needs money. And AI can also create convincing photos and videos of people that don’t exist which scammers use to target seniors for romance scams.

When seniors have home care assistance they have someone who can answer the phone and screen calls for potential scams. Seniors can get advice and support from a home care assistance provider to help them figure out if something could be a scam.

If you’re worried about your senior parent falling victim to a scam make sure they know about these things they can do to help them defend themselves against the latest scams are:

Stay Up To Date

Seniors and their families need to stay updated on the scams that are targeting seniors. Familiarize yourself with common tactics used by scammers, such as impersonating government officials, fake charity requests, or lottery scams. Check local news sites, online groups for seniors, and neighborhood groups online to get information about scammers that are operating in the area.

Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Communication

Whether it’s a phone call, email, or letter, be cautious when approached by unknown individuals or organizations. Legitimate entities typically don’t initiate contact with seniors out of the blue, especially if they request personal or financial information. Also remind your senior parent that banks, credit cards, and financial institutions of all kinds will not call seniors unsolicited.

Verify The Other Person’s Info Always

Before sharing any sensitive information or making payments, verify the identity of the person or organization contacting you. Ask for official credentials or contact the company or agency using trusted contact information independently. The best thing seniors can do if they think someone calling to ask for money could be legitimate is to ask for a callback number and hang up. Then they can check and verify that number to make sure it’s real.

Protect Personal Information Always

Seniors should always be cautious about sharing personal or financial information, such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or passwords with anyone. Online, in emails, or on the phone most legitimate institutions won’t ask for that information. If they need to verify someone’s identity they will ask for a PIN or other type of identification. It should always be a red flag if someone is trying to get personal information from a senior.

Use Strong Passwords

Remembering long and complicated passwords is annoying for everyone, especially seniors. But a strong password is a great defense against scammers. Seniors should create hard passwords to guess then write them down and put them in a safe place in case they need them later on.

Be Wary of High-Pressure Tactics

Scammers often use high-pressure tactics to rush victims into making impulsive decisions. When scammers are talking to seniors they often take advantage of the fact that seniors may not understand what they’re saying right away and hit them with a high-pressure pitch or even threaten them so that seniors will give up their financial information quickly. Remind your senior parent to always be wary of anyone who hits them with a high-pressure sales pitch or threatens them.

Source:  https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2024/2023-ftc-consumer-losses.html

If you or a senior family member are considering hiring Home Care Assistance Services in Franklin Lakes NJ, please contact the caring staff at Caring Solutions Home Care LLC. In-home senior care servicing Bergen & Passaic Counties. Call today at (973) 427-3553.