6 scams aimed at the elderly

If you are -- or care about -- a senior citizen, know how to recognize and respond to some of the latest schemes designed to take advantage of older people.

By Teri Cettina, Bankrate.com

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103Comments
pugnacious
Feb 4, 2013 7:28PM
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Why do people think when you get old your brain falls out? I'm in the elderly category, and my kids better not tell me how to handle my money. I'm the one who taught them how to do that. I don't have any problems with fraud because I do not answer my phone if I don't know the caller, I give no one I don't know my phone number or email address, and I don't ever believe anyone who tells me I can get something for nothing. Just because we are old doesn't mean we are stupid, MSN.
Dollardirector
Feb 5, 2013 5:16AM
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I don't see Reverse Mortgages on the list.
Caregiver777
Feb 4, 2013 8:05PM
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There are many fortunate elderly people with sharp minds, cautious, able to be careful with their personal information.  Unfortunately, there are some, my parents, that are at risk.   We have to monitor their activities because we love and care for them and are concerned with safety because these scams are happening.  Certainly not because we want to control them.  I think this information is very important for the people it applies to.  If it doesn't apply to you - lucky you.

JerryG-bsfree
Feb 4, 2013 10:46PM
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Good Lord, seniors are not the only ones being scammed. Greed and/or desperation causes people of all ages to allow themselves to be scrammed. If your suspicious.........l​eave it alone.
poWhiteTrash
Feb 5, 2013 3:52AM
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I am a bit frustrated but I am more mad at the government than anyone else. I am on a fixed income from disability, having worked all my life, and I really don't get enough to really live on. I invested in a company, and it turned out to be a ponzie scheme, multilevel marketing, and embezzelment  by a local man here in North Carolina. He was caught, after taking in over 600 million dollars, and running a ponzie scheme, and then it was discovered that he had embezzled money, and given it to his family. Since this was done world wide those are three serious federal crimes. The man had his lawyer "cut a deal" with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and he paid a four million dollar fine and was able to have them let him sign a paper saying that he had done no wrong. I lost only $400.00, but that is a lot of money to me, now. When we start holding our government officials accountable for putting white collar criminals in prison, and quit having these "wars on terrorism" just as a diversion so we don't notice them raping America, we may get our country back. Until then, this is a land with rules for the rich and different ones for the poor. We the people, can unite and change that, but we must unite.
  This is not a party issue, but the whole government smacks of favoritism and privilege. We seniors can raise our voices and educate our youth, but we need to make changes at the highest levels,  as to what they get away with.
BigBear1974
Feb 5, 2013 10:04AM
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They forgot to include Reverse Mortgages... Thats right you get to stay in your house until its value dwindles to 0 or you die. Your kids will never see a penny from the sell of your house. The one thing you have of value and you've given it away to Fred Thompson.
carollbr67
Feb 4, 2013 9:32PM
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I have been a senior for quite awhile now and I think I'm pretty alert. The thing is, just don't tell anybody anything if you haven't initiated the call and are sure you have the right number. And I've programmed in my phone anyone I'm the least little bit interested in speaking with, and if it's not one of those people calling, I don't bother to answer. Door-to-door sales people: Just ask to see their Peddler's Permit and they don't seem to be interested any longer. Folks, just think!

 

I do realize there are probably many people who are medically unable to reason out these things, and I do not mean to diminish them by saying what I said.

robbiec.
Feb 5, 2013 10:50AM
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Funny. Director of AARP Fraud Fighter. Is he the one, who fills my mailbox with spam offering nothing only for 16 dollars per year?
village-fool-and-idiot
Feb 5, 2013 11:47AM
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You forgot the biggest and worst swindlers. Congress and the IRS.
Jesusiswatching
Feb 4, 2013 8:44PM
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For those who would defraud the Father's children; you would be better off if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were tossed into the sea.

Behappy234
Feb 5, 2013 11:41AM
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I thought my dad would never be exploited. Wrong, it took a waitress at a place my dad always went to to inform me he was being taking advantange of by someone, if it was not for her, he probably would have lost everything.  was not only one person, but several, some were suppose to be friends, others just taking as much as they could.  JUST KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR PARENTS, I would have never in a million years thought my dad would have been scammed. 

Xdiemaker
Feb 4, 2013 9:38PM
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It's as if these scammers have no consequences.
snowyafternoon
Feb 5, 2013 3:29PM
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My parents can spot the scammers.  What they couldn't spot was their daughter and grandchild stealing their life savings.  More damage is done to seniors by family than by strangers.
unkyjack
Feb 5, 2013 9:27AM
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Everything that has a pre-sort mail stamp on it goes in the trash bin.  AND,......"oldcountr​ygal" you are spot on, girl.  Good fortune.
G.A. Howell (knowyourhealth)
Feb 5, 2013 12:16PM
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Brokers are missing also and Insurance.
Fatuus Secundus
Feb 5, 2013 1:10PM
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I hope I never get so feeble minded as to fall for the fake grandchild scheme.

 

 

Especially since I don't have kids...

G.Bay
Feb 5, 2013 1:35AM
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I have worked in senior housing and know first hand that there are many

times senior have fallen pray to a deal that seemed to good to be true.

 

Be aware of what is going on in the lives of people that are at risk for

fraud.  It happens so easily. 

 

 

 

Old Geezer 727
Feb 5, 2013 3:25AM
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msn forgot the biggest scam of all (intentionally)!!!!


WATCHING AND READING THE NEWS!!!!!

d4489
Feb 4, 2013 9:45PM
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I've been getting "Redbull Car Wrap" email scams..and now, "Monster Energy Drink Car Wrap" scams. "Michael Specter" promises $300 a week if you let them plaster Redbull adverts on your car doors. Not as good as the UN email wanting me to launder $1.5 million, though...
airborn_71 LYNCH (Airborn)
Feb 4, 2013 10:35PM
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You forgot the MEDICARE SCAM - the biggest health insurance fraud on the  market.
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