Don’t Let Senior Scams Catch You Off Guard

TOP SCAMS and

This information brought to you by: BBB Consumer Fraud Awareness Program – www.bbb.org.

Grandparent Scam: This scam is designed to fool seniors into thinking their grandchild has been injured, arrested or stranded in a foreign country and is in need of money. The con artist makes up an urgent situation – “I’ve been arrested “ or “I’m in the hospital” or “I’ve been mugged” and pleads for help and money.

How to Avoid

Don’t disclose any information. Scammers make their story more believable by picking up details you give them like disclosing your grandchild’s name.
Ask the person claiming to be your grandchild a personal question, such as a family member’s name.
Communicate with family and know when they are traveling or will be out of the country and where they will be.

Lottery Scams: The letter begins, “We are pleased to inform you…” and continues that any number of good things have happened – final payment, supermarket sweepstakes raffle winner, second category winner, etc. These form letters promise a grand exchange of money in return for a processing fee ranging from $19.97 to $2,970. Lotteries are illegal, except when conducted by states and certain exempt charitable organizations.

How to Avoid

Your can’t win a contest you didn’t enter.
Verify. Don’t use a source scammers gave you, hang up, look them up independently and call BBB.
Don’t pay to claim your prize, it is illegal to require payment to claim a prize in the United States.

IT Support Scams: Cyber-criminals call or you receive an email or pop-up on your computer screen, claiming to represent Microsoft or another computer company. They say your computer has a virus or needs an update and they are contacting you to help. Once these scammers gain access to your computer they can install malicious software, steal personal information, take control of the computer remotely or direct consumers to fraudulent websites where they are asked to enter their credit card information to pay for assistance.

How to Avoid

Install virus detection software on your computer.
Don’t trust cold calls or pop-ups. Microsoft will not call you to repair your computer.
Find a computer repair company you can trust to do repairs and keep your system free of malware.

IRS, Social Security Administration and other Phony Government Agency Scams: You receive an ominous phone call from someone claiming your Social Security account has been compromised and they need to verify your personal information. Or a police officer or government agent (often the IRS) is coming to arrest you for overdue taxes or skipping jury duty….but you can avoid arrest by sending money via a prepaid debit card, gift card, wire transfer, etc. Whatever the “violation,” it’s scary to be threatened with arrest and many people pay out of fear.

How to Avoid

Government agencies such as the Social Security Administration will never call to verify your personal information.
Public safety officials such as police officers and deputy sheriffs don’t give you advance notice that they are coming to arrest you for a violation.
Hang UP! The IRS and other government entities will not call you to collect money. They will never ask you to make a payment via prepaid cards like Green Dot, I-tune gift cards or through wire transfers like Western Union.

Free Ticket Scams – Blazoned across the postcard: “Congratulations, you will receive 2 round-trip tickets on American, United or comparable airline…” Recipients are led to believe the solicitations are from a legitimate airline. A call to the 1-800 number tells the recipient they need to sign up for a 90-minute seminar at a local hotel to claim the tickets.

How to Avoid

Be cautious of solicitations that do not disclose the name and address of the soliciting company.
Always research your right to cancel prior to attending any presentation or seminar.
Checks bbb.org prior to attending a travel club or other sales presentation.