By
Brandy Bauer | 1.24.2019
It is estimated that older adults lose billions of dollars to
scammers each year. But there is good news—last year the Federal Trade
Commission noted that older consumers are more likely to
report they’ve been victimized by financial exploitation than
their younger counterparts.
Here are three scams that are notably making the rounds.
1. Beware of Social Security spoofing calls
There’s been a significant uptick in fraudulent telephone calls from
people claiming to represent the Social Security Administration (SSA).
In them, unknown callers threaten victims that they face arrest or other legal
action if they fail to call a provided phone number or press the number
indicated in the message to address the issue. Sometimes the scammers switch
tactics and say that they want to help an individual activate a suspended
Social Security number. They may even “spoof” the actual Social Security
hotline number to appear on the recipient’s phone: 1-800-772-1213.
If you receive one of these calls, hang up. Know that Social
Security rarely contacts persons by phone unless you have ongoing business with
them and they never make threats about arrest or legal action.
Report suspicious calls to the SSA Office of the Inspector
General by calling 1-800-269-0271 or submitting a report on the OIG
website.
2. Watch for a new twist on the old grandparent scam
The grandparent scam has been around for several years. In this
approach, a person calls an older adult pretending to be a grandchild who’s
been involved in an accident or legal trouble and needs money immediately.
Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found that instead
of using wire transfer or gift cards, an increasing number of older adults are
mailing cash to these fraudsters, with a median individual loss of $9,000.
According to reports, the scammers often ask seniors to divide the bills into
envelopes and place them between the pages of a magazine, then send them using
various carriers, including UPS, FedEx, and the U.S. Postal Service.
The FTC warns that if you or a loved one receives one of these
calls, don’t act right away. Call that grandchild back on a correct phone
number and verify their whereabouts. If you’ve mailed cash, report it right
away to the Postal Service or shipping company you used. Some people have been
able to stop delivery by acting quickly and giving a tracking number. Be sure
to also file a complaint to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint.
3. Only work with reputable agencies after a natural disaster
Wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes—these
unpredictable forces of nature can be devastating to those living in affected
areas. Even those not directly affected may want to lend support in whatever
way they can.
Unfortunately, natural disasters are a golden
opportunity for scammers, who target both those who’ve been directly
affected and those who want to offer their support. Natural disaster scams
typically start with unsolicited contact by telephone, social media, e-mail, or
in person. Scammers may:
- Impersonate charities to get money
or private information from well-meaning consumers.
- Set up fake websites with names
that mimic legitimate charities to trick people into sending money.
- Pretend
to be from the IRS and collect personal information under the guise of
helping victims file loss claims and get tax refunds.
To find reputable charities to support victims of natural
disasters, use the IRS’s tax exempt organization
search or look for an organization’s charity rating on places
such as Guidestar and Charity Navigator.
If you’re a disaster victim, use NCOA’s BenefitsCheckUp® disaster assistance tool to
find legitimate help with relief and financial assistance.
Pass it on!
One of the most important ways to avoid becoming a victim of a
scam is to pass along information about scams that are making the rounds.
Through the Pass It On campaign, the FTC offers free materials you can download or
order and share in your community to protect older adults from
scams.
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