Elderly population a prime target for scams, identity theft and consumer fraud
Your telephone rings at 11 p.m. and wakes you. You groggily answer and a man identifies himself as a police officer. He urgently tells you that your niece has been in a car accident in Mexico. She is alive but needs money for medical expenses and to secure her car, and they don’t know who else to call for help.
The anxiety begins to build and you follow the officer’s directions, offering your credit card number to transfer funds immediately. You hang up the phone, and as your racing heart slows you begin to realize that your niece has never been to Mexico… and why didn’t the authorities call her parents?
As you put the pieces together, the truth surfaces: you have just been scammed.
Scams on the rise
Consumer fraud is the fastest growing type of crime in the country. In an effort to raise awareness and keep people safe, New York State Assistant Attorney General Jaunita Williams presented to about 20 seniors Thursday at Camillus Ridge Terrace assisted living home about the dangers of consumer fraud.
Williams began by warning the group that, as seniors, they were particularly susceptible to this type of crime.
“Seniors are so vulnerable to consumer fraud,” Williams said. “I say that’s because you are very generous and very giving.”
Having the desire and ability to help puts seniors in a sticky spot, and makes them a prime target for scammers.
Some of the most recent scams that have been reported in the area involve calls to elderly residents reporting that they’ve failed to show up for jury duty and there is a warrant out for their arrest. The caller then appears to sympathize with them and offers to help, but requests personal information to identify that they are speaking with the correct person.
Williams said this is a common technique. Callers identify themselves as having some authority — a bank employee, a police officer, a local government official — and then say they need personal information in order to help you.
“When you get a call from your ‘bank,’ you have to be very careful,” Williams said.
It could, in fact, be your bank calling to verify a transaction. But it could just as easily be someone else trying to trick you into giving up your credit card and account information.
Williams suggested telling the caller, “I believe this conversation is important but I’m not comfortable giving you this information.” Then tell the caller you are going to hang up and dial the phone number to the bank yourself, and if they are telling you the truth, you will be speak with them again soon.
“Most of the time, they’ll hang up before you do,” Williams said.
Caught up in the chaos
Not only do scammers prey on the elderly, they tap into human emotion.
Take the first scenario, for example, where the caller waited until late at night, when the victim would most likely be sleeping and less alert. They knew the victim’s niece’s name, and presented a very frightening, urgent scenario to make the victim anxious and more likely to take immediate action.
“You may think, “I would never do that,’ but when you get a call like this it’s very alarming,” Williams said.
The best way to approach a situation like this, Williams said, is to talk to someone you trust.
“Don’t react immediately,” Williams said. “Try to take a step back and see how you can find out if it’s true.”
That method applies to suspicious mail and e-mails as well. A letter that appears to be from your auto insurance company claiming you are owed money can seem very real – but why does it ask for your social security number in the fine print?
{Q}”It only takes two minutes to call your insurance company and ask, ‘is this real?'”{Q} Williams said.
Williams’ presentation Thursday focused on consumer fraud via telephone calls and the mail, though it did touch on e-mail and internet scams.
She said she presents about 20 different topics to different groups, from Internet safety presentations to students to consumer fraud presentations to volunteer groups. Organizations interested in having Williams present should contact her at the Syracuse Attorney General’s Office, 448-4800.
The best defense
Williams offers these three tips to consumers to remain on the offensive of consumer fraud:
1. Opt out of consumer list
Your personal information can be bought and sold by both legitimate companies and scammers. But you can choose to opt out, reducing the amount of pre-screened offers and the number of organizations that have access to your information. Call 888-5OPTOUT (888-567-8688) once a year. They will ask for your SSN to verify your identity, but you do not have to supply it.
2. Check your credit report
Federal law requires the three major credit bureaus to provide citizens with one free credit report annually. Williams suggests consumers take advantage of the free reports at three different times throughout the year to keep a diligent eye on any new accounts, unauthorized credit checks or discrepancies on your credit report. Visit annualcreditreport.com or 877-322-8228 to access your free report.
3. Protect your information at all times
If your purse or wallet were snatched, would you remember every item that you were carrying and be able to tell the police what was stolen? Williams pointed out that unless you are going to Macy’s, you don’t need to have your Macy’s charge card on you at all times. Carrying around these potential prizes for thieves and scammers – charge cards, your social security card, deposit slips from your last trip to the bank – increases your chances of becoming a victim of consumer fraud unnecessarily. If you don’t need it, leave it home.
Also be more aware of what personal information you are making available as you surf the web, shop, register for sweepstakes, etc. The more information you make readily available, the better your chances of having it stolen.