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Con artists often target senior citizens with
sophisticated schemes and scams.
Elderly women who outlive their husbands may
find themselves responsible for their own finances
for the first time ever.
This makes them the perfect target for con
artists and scams.
There are many steps that can be taken to
ensure that the elderly protect themselves from
these scam artists.
1.
Never give out personal banking information or
credit card numbers to someone who has initiated a
call and/or promises money in exchange for
information.
There is no money or prize in it for you. They only want to take your money.
If the person requesting this information
says he is from a government agency, ask to be sent
a certified letter on an official letterhead.
2.
Smart consumers never buy goods or services
at the door, over the phone, or through the mail
without first doing several careful comparisons and
checking with the Better Business Bureau.
If the salesperson will not provide written
information about the company, including the
company’s name and address, then do business with
someone else.
Tell them you will have to try and verify their
information through the police.
3.
Be careful when sales people come to your
door saying that they are offering a special in the
neighborhood for a particular service.
Scam artists pose as contractors doing
inspections and then charge exorbitant fees to fix
things that may not need to be fixed in the first
place.
The person may tell you that there is an “emergency
situation” that needs fixing immediately, and makes
it sound so serious that you are coerced into giving
them a check or credit card number on the spot to
fix it.
The reality is that the person is just trying
to frighten you into taking action and giving them
money without having time to think about it.
There is NO emergency.
4.
Pay attention to your mail.
Large numbers of daily mailings from
promotion companies could indicate that you have
been placed on a “sucker” list as someone who might
play along with potentially expensive promotions.
Be alert for boxes of “junk” gifts or inexpensive
personalized items you might receive that would
entice you to send money to these promotion
companies.
People who have elderly relatives need to
make sure their loved ones are fully aware of how
these scam artists could possibly get to them.
They need to know how to protect themselves.
Consumer awareness needs to become more
prevalent in the minds of the elderly to help
prevent these con artists from being successful.
Always be on your guard and be suspicious of
every company or person soliciting you for money.
Sergeant Jeff Lewis
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