Senior Care in Wilton Manors FL
Sadly, criminals view older adults as easy targets for their next scam. Some act as financial experts, only to attempt to swipe any cash or assets seniors have. Other frauds conduct their scams through phone calls or mail, making the elder think they won a prize or cash.
August 7th is the beginning of National Fraud Awareness Week. This week was designed to educate the public on the dangers of frauds and how to protect themselves from being the next victim. Older adults who live alone may need to be supervised by a senior care specialist in order to make sure they are making good judgement calls and are making the right choices to prevent scams from happening to them. In honor of National Fraud Awareness Week, here are a few ways older adults can protect themselves against scammers.
- Explain the dangers. By simply telling an elderly loved one to throw a deceitful letter away that says they won millions or to hang up when a scammer calls is not enough to get them to do it. They need to know why. Have an honest conversation with your loved one, explaining why the letter or phone call is dangerous and what could happen if they give out their personal information to these strangers.
- Do not blame them. As a child, your parent probably taught you how dangerous it was to talk to strangers. Now is your turn to remind them of this lesson without blaming them for wanting to share their information with these frauds. As long as the elder understands why they should not be sharing anything with these strangers, there is no reason to make them feel more embarrassed or ashamed than they already do.
- Use past experiences to learn a lesson. If your elderly parent did fall victim to a scammer, use the experience as a lesson. Ask them how it could help other people and what they could have done differently.
- Keep their address and phone number private. If their contact information is listed in a phonebook, it will be too easy for scammers to reach out to them. To keep the elder safe, have their number unlisted and their address added to opt-out lists with the Direct Marketing Association. If junk mail still arrives at your loved one’s home, it should be reported to the US Postal Inspection Service.
- Check their credit report. To ensure no fraudulent activity has taken place in their name, encourage the elder to check their credit report.
Scammers may appear to be very friendly, but the minute they try to get personal information from the senior, it is time to hang up the phone or dispose of any junk mail. These tips should help your aging parent protect their name and accounts.
If you or a family member are in need of senior care in Wilton Manors, FL, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing service in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Weston, Southwest Ranches, Pembroke Pines, Cooper City, Lighthouse Point, and Wilton Manors.
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