Rome, Georgia seniors need to be aware of some common scams being perpetrated every day.
Sometimes it’s not strangers who prey on seniors. Sadly, over 90% of all reported elder abuse is committed by their adult children or other family members, according to the National Council on Aging.
Seniors can make an attractive mark for thieves because some have retirement savings built up and/or qualify for Medicare. With a senior’s personal information (solicited over the phone by someone pretending to be affiliated with a trusted organization or else obtained by phishing scams over an Internet-connected computer), a con artist can easily take out a line of credit or empty funds from a bank account – sometimes without any face-to-face interaction and no paper trail.
It’s a scary situation, for sure. But Georgia seniors can defend against these activities by taking a few simple precautions:
- Don’t give out personal information to anyone contacting you out-of-the-blue with claims you need to verify your information.
- Don’t let anyone pressure you to make a financial decision under time pressures.
- Don’t invest in pyramid schemes or financial products you do not fully understand. A little research into the fixed costs of a funeral before one is needed, for example, can prevent being gouged when you are emotionally vulnerable in a time of loss.
- Remember the saying “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. You might think you can save money ordering prescription drugs or discount botox online from renegade labs, but in some cases, you may receive medication that treats nothing and/or actually endangers your life.
- Ask for help from someone you can trust if you feel exploited by a family member.
- You do not have to be paranoid, but a little skepticism is healthy.
While some of this may be common sense, it never hurts to remind Rome, Georgia’s seniors what they can do to protect themselves in retirement years.