Phone, Mail, and Digital Scams Targeting Seniors

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In recent years, con artists have taken advantage of older Americans realizing that many seniors have little knowledge of technology or current scams. These scams are often in the form of the phone, mail, or internet.  Women over 60 who live alone have been identified as particularly susceptible.  Many scams that target seniors use digital technology, especially pop-ups or emails, since seniors are less likely to understand what is or isn’t valid online. These are the most common to watch out for:

• Health insurance scams requesting personal information
• Medicare enrollment calls
• Telemarketers claiming Medicare covers their services or products
• Vehicle extended warranty calls
• Phone calls claiming to be from the IRS requesting personal information or money
• Tax or service related mail asking for a signature or money besides regular bills
• “Bank” or “bank card” requests for personal or financial account information
• Any requests for passwords, personal information like a social security number made by companies seniors do not have an account with
Whenever personal information is being requested, always proceed with caution.  When in doubt, don’t give it out!