Table of Contents
What are 4 scams that target the elderly?
Top 10 Scams Targeting Seniors
- Health Care/Medicare/Health Insurance Fraud.
- Counterfeit Prescription Drugs.
- Funeral & Cemetery Scams.
- Fraudulent Anti-Aging Products.
- Telemarketing.
- Internet Fraud.
- Investment Schemes.
- Homeowner/Reverse Mortgage Scams.
Why do fraudsters often target the elderly?
Scammers may target seniors because they are perceived as having more wealth or being less likely to report the crime. Fraudsters often rely on seniors’ desire to have a good retirement, form close relationships later in life and care for family members.
What to do if a senior gets scammed?
If you have received a scam phone call, email, or message, you may report it to the Federal Trade Commission online or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877–382–4357). After reporting the incident to the FTC, please contact the Hotline at 833-372-8311 so we can track the frequency with which this scam is happening.
What are the latest scams to look out for?
Protect yourself online: 5 new scams to watch out for now
- Online dating hoaxes. The scam.
- Suspicious retailers. The scam.
- Bogus tech support. The scam.
- Government imposters. The scam.
- Fraudulent email solicitations. The scam.
How many elderly people get scammed a year?
Senior citizens lost almost $1 billion in scams in 2020, according to an FBI report released this week. A total of 105,301 people over the age of 65 were scammed, with an average loss of $9,175, and almost 2,000 older Americans lost more than $100,000, the report said.
Is scamming the elderly illegal?
Any unauthorized (or fraudulently obtained) use of an elder’s money or property is considered a violation of California’s financial elder abuse law. That said, some types of senior fraud are not so obvious or easy to detect. In fact, many examples of senior fraud involve scams… scams that target vulnerable elders.
Does the FBI investigate elder abuse?
The FBI will continue to identify, investigate and work to prosecute those who would take advantage of the elderly and the seriously ill.