This week features National Senior Citizens Day and the urgency of scams targeting seniors should not be missed. In 2016, about 40% of individuals who provided their age when reporting to Scam Tracker were over the age of 55.
Top 3 most risky scam types for consumers age 55-64:
- Home Improvement
- Travel/Vacations
- Fake Check/Money Order
Top 3 most risky scam types for consumers age 65 +:
- Family/Friend Emergency
- Sweepstake/Lottery/Prizes
- Travel/Vacations
Steve Bernas, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois says, “As kids head back to school and off to college, this is the perfect time for scammers to use the family/friend emergency scam. Scammers will often target seniors via phone telling them that their child or grandchild is in financial trouble and needs money wired to them immediately.”
He adds, “If you have a child or grandchild who has just gone away to college, be leery of any correspondence you receive that is not directly from them. For most people, family is their biggest vulnerability, and scammers love to take advantage of this.”
BBB offers the following tips to help seniors avoid scams:
- Screen your phone calls. Only answer or return calls from people you know.
- Never give out account numbers or other private information to a stranger on the phone.
- Always give yourself time to verify information before taking any action.
- Never click on links in unsolicited emails or texts.
For additional tips on avoiding scams that target seniors check out our Live Better Newsletter at https://www.bbb.org/chicago/live-better/family-fun/protecting-grandma-and-grandpa-from-scams/.
Remember to always report scammers. If you’ve been cheated, report the scam to authorities and BBB Scam Tracker to warn others.
Search the BBB’s databases anytime at no cost to find trustworthy businesses and valuable consumer information. Visit http://ask.bbb.org. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter ,Instagram and LinkedIn.
ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. Consumers and businesses can search business reviews and ratings on more than 5.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as home to its national programs on dispute resolution, advertising review, and industry self-regulation.
Click Here To Submit A News Tip Or Story