The most common types of elder scams and how to avoid them
By Sophia Szabo,
3 days ago
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Scams targeting senior citizens have long been a problem, but experts say they’re becoming more frequent and harder to spot.
That’s why U.S. Sen Jack Reed teamed up with the Rhode Island State Police an AARP to help local seniors avoid getting scammed.
According to the FBI, more than 100,000 elderly people nationwide were victims of fraud last year, resulting in more than $3.4 billion in losses. In Rhode Island, people over the age of sixty lost approximately $7.4 million to criminals.
Reed held an event Thursday at the East Providence Senior Center to give tips on how to spot a scam. His message was, “When in doubt, don’t give it out,” meaning people should never volunteer their personal information like bank accounts, passwords, and Social Security numbers.
Reed also said to be wary of “urgent” claims. Scammers often try to create a false sense of urgency to take people’s money. No legitimate agency will contact you and ask for payment in gift cards or cryptocurrency, according to Reed.
Another good idea, he said, is to have a trusted source who can help identify a potential scam.
Also, don’t be afraid to hang up the phone. If a caller is demanding payment, ask them to send you a letter or email instead.
Reed said scams are becoming harder to spot through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). According to experts, criminals can use the technology to replicate someone’s voice to make it seem like a family member or friend is in need of money.
Elder Scam Resources
There are resources available to help seniors detect and report fraud. The U.S Department of Justice has a National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
The AARP offers twice-monthly Watchdog Alerts from the Fraud Watch Network , which give updates on the latest scam trends and how to avoid them.
Anyone who believes they’re being targeted by a scam is urged to report it to their local police and on the FTC’s website .
These are the most prevalent types of scams right now, according to the FBI:
Tech support scam: Criminals pose as tech support workers and offer to fix non-existent computer issues. The scammers will try to gain remote access to your devices and data.
Grandparent scam: Criminals pose as a relative, usually a child or grandchild, and claim to be in dire need of money.
Government impersonation scam: Criminals pose as government employees and threaten to arrest victims unless they agree to pay up.
Sweepstakes/charity/lottery scam: Criminals claim the victim has won a lottery or sweepstake, which they can collect for a fee, or say they work for a legitimate charitable organization to get a victim’s trust.
Home repair scam: Criminals come to the door and charge homeowners in advance for home improvement work that’s never provided.
Romance scam: Criminals pose as interested romantic partners on dating sites or social media to prey on potential victims.
TV/radio scam: Criminals use fake advertisements about legitimate services, such as reverse mortgages or credit repair.
Family/caregiver scam: Relatives or acquaintances of elderly victims take advantage of them to get their money.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
Comments / 0