The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is offering guidance to help raise awareness of scams that target older adults. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2023 Elder Fraud Report, scams targeting adults over the age of 60 caused over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023, an increase of approximately 11% from the prior year. The average victim of elder fraud lost $33,915 due to these crimes.
Some of the most common older adult scams include:
- Medical Device Scam: Unsolicited prerecorded messages, known as “robocalls,” offering free medical alert devices by providing an address and credit card information.
- Grandparent Scam: Scammers call or email asking for money while impersonating a beloved grandchild who is in some kind of trouble.
- Ghosting Scam: Identity thieves obtain personal information about deceased persons from obituaries, funeral homes, hospitals, stolen death certificates and online websites and use this information to establish credit and open accounts, take out loans, receive benefits, or even collect tax refunds filed under the stolen identity.
- Jury Duty Scam: Scammers pretending to be law enforcement officers or court officials contact individuals to inform them that they have failed to report to jury duty and must pay a fine by credit card to avoid an arrest.
- Funeral Notification Scam: Scammers send emails deceptively informing recipients of an upcoming farewell ceremony in remembrance of a friend or loved one, and upon clicking a link provided in the email, victims are sent to a third-party website where malicious software is downloaded so scammers can gain access to the user’s information.
- Sweepstakes Scam: Scammers entice consumers with various prize offers and then ask to share personal information or pay a fee to enter the sweepstakes.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Imposter Scam: Phone scammers impersonate IRS agents and demand immediate payment of overdue taxes from victims via debit card or wire transfer to avoid being arrested.
- Free Grant Scam: Scammers promise fraudulent grants in print or over the phone and ask for bank account and routing numbers.
For more information about how you can recognize the most common older adult scams or for more scam prevention tips, download The Division of Consumer Protection’s informative Senior Anti-Fraud Education (S.A.F.E.) brochure. If you have parents or elderly family members, take the time to explain these scams to them.
Here are a few tips to follow if you or someone you know receives a call or email you believe to be a scam:
- RESIST the urge to act immediately – no matter how dramatic the story is.
- VERIFY the caller’s identity – ask questions that a stranger couldn’t answer. Check with a family member to see if the information is true.
- DO NOT send cash, gift cards or money transfers. Once the scammer gets the money – it’s gone!
- DO NOT give your personal banking account information by email or over the phone OR log into bank accounts as directed by the caller (scammers can steal your information using screen mirroring).
During World Elder Abuse Month, the Division of Consumer Protection is also urging New Yorkers to make a plan to help protect senior family members and friends from financial abuse, given its prevalence. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a guide to preventing elder financial abuse with four important steps:
- Prevent – Educate yourself, your loved ones, and your community.
- Recognize – Spot the warning signs and take action.
- Record – Document what you observe.
- Report – Tell the appropriate authorities so they can investigate and help.
The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) has also developed a new Don’t Get Scammed guide, which provides information about scams including red flags, common scam types and tactics, and resources to help.
There are resources to help if you are concerned about an individual, friend or loved one who may be experiencing elder abuse, including the non-emergency helpline at (844) 746-6905 and the Adult Protective Services hotline at 1-844-697-3505 to report abuse.
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