Senior Fraud Awareness
May 1, 2023
May 15th is National Senior Fraud Awareness Day. Congress has designated this date every year to highlight awareness, education, and prevention tactics to protect senior citizens from scams. It is estimated that older adults lose $345 million per year because of financial exploitation. This age group is often the target of scams because of their net worth, trusting nature, and unfamiliarity with technology.
Three common scams older adults should be aware of include:
- Tech support scams: Scammers pretend to be tech support from well-known companies to get you to pay for a service you do not need or to hack into your devices through a link in an email or text. They may also try calling you to get information over the phone
- Government imposter scams: Be aware if you receive contact from someone claiming to be from the U.S. Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), and other government agencies, as these are popular choices for scammers. Government agencies will never contact you by phone for personal information, as all communications are sent through the postal service
- Text message scams: If you receive a text message claiming there is an issue with one of your accounts, such as a credit card, bank account, or cell phone service, there is a good chance it is a scam. The scammer wants you to click on the link to provide your personal information. To find out if the message is real, go to the official website of the organization and contact the customer service phone number listed
If you or someone you know has been a victim of elder fraud, contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311. They can be reached Monday through Friday between the hours of 10:00 AM-6:00 PM.