Every day scammers are creating devious phone schemes to trick seniors out of money or access their financial and personal information. Kitchener senior care experts have put together a list of some of the top phone scams criminals use when targeting the elderly. Help your senior loved one stay aware and protected by knowing what to watch for.
Prescription Drug Scams
Due to the rise in prescription drug costs, many phone scammers target senior citizens and offer them drugs at a cheaper rate. This is dangerous because the scammer receives your loved one’s personal information and may even send counterfeit drugs to him or her via postal mail. Your loved one should always contact a doctor or local pharmacists for prescription drug needs or speak with his or her health insurance provider if necessary.
Obituary Scams
Since many local newspapers place notices for the deceased, scammers will read through the obituaries and look for elderly family members of the deceased to scam. The scammers will typically call the seniors and ask for money to pay for their deceased family member’s debts. Let your loved one know that if anyone calls about another family member’s debt, he or she is not responsible for it and you will handle the situation.
Lottery Scams
This scam claims a senior has won money in a foreign lottery. The scammers know most seniors will not recall playing the lottery, but they rely on them falling for their sales pitch act. Someone with a professional-sounding voice generally places the call. The scammer will then ask the senior to pay upfront money to cover taxes associated with the fake lottery winnings. Warn your loved one to never pay for anything via telephone without your consent.
Grandchild Scams
Phone scammers sometimes call and ask an elderly individual to guess who is on the other line. Many seniors will then guess a grandchild’s name and the scammer will pretend to be that grandchild. After establishing a relationship, the scammer will ask for money. You should always remind your loved one to never give out his or her financial information over the telephone, and you may want to take control of your loved one’s finances to prevent this from happening.
Learn more about senior safety from the experienced staff at Home Care Assistance. As a leading provider of Parkinson’s, dementia, and stroke care in Kitchener, we are dedicated to making sure the seniors we care for remain safe and healthy. For more information on how our in-home care services can promote a safe and healthy lifestyle for your loved one, call one of our friendly Care Managers at (519) 954-2111 to schedule a no-obligation consultation.