Some older adults quickly recognize and avoid scams. Others fall for them. Per the FTC, there were 2.7 million fraud reports in 2017. More than $900 million was lost to fraud.
Elderly Care in Broomall PA: Senior Scams
How aware is your dad? If he got an email, call, or door-to-door visit from a scammer, would he be able to identify it? Talk to him about the most common scams and make sure he knows how to avoid them.
Grandparent Scams
How much do you and your children share on social media? How hidden are those posts? Scammers can use photos and names found on social media and other sites to pull off grandparent scams. Once they have some basic information, they can call a grandparent, claim the grandchild is in trouble and needs money.
Many grandparents fall for this scam because it’s so believable. The scammer may see the grandchild has just started college. They have the city the child is in and can make it look like they’re really calling from that site. The scammer claims the child was arrested or is in the hospital following an accident and needs money to cover legal fees or medical bills.
IRS/Government Scams
Posting as a government official, the scammer will call and say the older adult owes money in back taxes or that there’s been a breach of the person’s Social Security. They need the information to fix the issue or payment needs to be made immediately to avoid arrest.
Your dad needs to know that a government agency would never call or email. They would send an official notice in the mail. Even if he gets a notice in the mail, he should go to a local government office, such as the state police or local Social Security Administration’s office, with the letter and have them verify the information.
Computer/Virus Scams
These scams can work in one of two ways. One is via a phone call. Your dad answers the phone and learns that a computer company, such as Microsoft, is calling because your dad’s computer has a virus. They’ll fix it for him for a fee.
The other way these scams work is through a pop-up on the computer screen. The pop-up window says he’s been infected by a virus and must submit his credit card information with the site on the window to clear it. Clicking on that link may also allow the scammer to access information on your dad’s computer.
If your dad is likely to be fooled by a scam, it could be time to hire elderly care aides. With a caregiver spending time with him, he’s less likely to feel the need to chat with a stranger on the phone or at the door. The caregiver can keep him from getting scammed. Call an elderly care agency to make arrangements.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Broomall, PA, please talk to the caring staff at Better Care Home Health Services LLC today. Serving individuals and their families in Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties. Call Today: (267) 766-5218
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Better Care Home Health Services is a family-owned agency dedicated to providing excellent and comprehensive home health care to individuals and families of Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties. We are honored that God has blessed us with the opportunity to positively impact and change people’s lives. It is our mission to ensure that we provide the very best of care to our clients.
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