How to Avoid Financial Exploitation in Seniors
I have written a blog on this topic before, but think it is extremely important and keeps coming to light. We must protect our elderly from the scammers out there!!!
What is financial exploitation in seniors? This occurs when people try to take the seniors money or assets. They know every trick in the book and will pull them to get whatever they can from the senior. Seniors are the most vulnerable because they have a lot of time on their hands and are generally very trusting. When a senior is online searching for things, they sometimes they don’t know they clicked on a potentially harmful link, (this happens to all of us), but they are more vulnerable because they sometimes click without thinking. Something may look enticing and they click on it and BOOM they clicked on a scammers link.
Online isn’t the only way these scammers can get your information, they can get it through phone calls, any receipts or bank statements you have lying around, or a credit card. Make sure all these things are put away when someone comes to your house. If you have a caregiver, lock these things up where the caregiver does not have access. Most caregivers are trustworthy, but situations can take a change and you never know someone’s circumstances.
The first thing a senior needs is a financial advisor or an advocate, someone trustworthy who will look out for them. Make sure you know this person well and can trust them with everything. If you are mentally able, go over everything with your advocate and know where all your money and assets are.
Get a copy of your credit report at least once a year and go through it thoroughly to ensure everything is up-to-date and correct. Make sure no new accounts have been opened or the balance on your credit cards haven’t gone up instead of down. Also, check your report to ensure your credit score hasn’t dropped and there have been no new inquiries against your social security number.
Shred any bank statements, receipts, and expired credit cards; anything with your pertinent information on it. You know how we all get those unwanted credit card offers? Make sure you shred those too. There may not be enough information on them for a hacker, but why chance it. Shredders are not too expensive and can save you a lot of headaches down the road.
The IRS and Social Security will NOT call you and ask for your social security number!! Do NOT give this number out to ANYONE over the phone!!! Do NOT give your bank information out to ANYONE over the telephone. There shouldn’t be anyone calling you and asking for any kind of personal information whatsoever. Do NOT give out this information!!
You may be like me or a million other people and play sweepstakes or lotto online, but if you get an email or phone call saying you won but have you pay them so much money to claim your winnings, DON’T pay it!! This is a scam!!! Once they have your information, they will take all the money you have and not only did you not win the lotto, you also lost every penny you worked so hard for.
Should you need to hire someone to do work for you, check their references and NEVER pay them in advance! Also, pay them with a check if possible. If you must pay with cash, make sure you get a receipt and make sure the receipt has what the money was for and any terms and conditions.
NEVER sign any agreement you don’t understand, feel pressured into, or are uncomfortable with. It’s okay to say no and request to have someone else read and explain the document to you. If the person asking you to sign the document isn’t agreeable to this, it is more than likely a scam. Trust your instincts, if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.
Lastly, if you feel you have been exploited, or feel someone is trying to take control of your money, please reach out to Adult Protective Services. You can file a complaint online at myflfamilies.com/services/abuse/adult-protective-services or call them at 1-800-962-2873, option 2.
