Senior Citizens are Targets for Holiday Scams in NJ
Beware of scammers targeting senior citizens in Morris and Essex CountySenior citizens are targeted by many scammers during the holidays. Most seniors are in the giving spirit during the holiday season, so it is important that they are on the lookout for charity scams this time of year.
Fake charity calls or someone claiming to be a grandchild or other relative looking for money are particular popular among scammers. To avoid fake charity calls, experts recommend to never give a caller your credit card information or bank account number. Instead, make the call to your favorite charity yourself or check with the etter Business Bureau.
If you are caring for a senior citizen, watch out for signs they are being scammed. For example, if there are unpaid bills stacking up they may be sending money to scammers. Also when seniors have a cell phone they should know about the increase in robocalls (where your number is called and you receive a recorded message), and that they should confirm the phone is a working number and not simply answer the call.
The tactic most on the rise in 2019 was the use of spoof calls. “These are calls that falsely show names and umbers of people you may know on caller ID devices. For instance, someone or some group is claiming to be someone else. A recent AARP Magazine article suggested that seniors no longer believe any caller ID name or number. And at a recent presentation on phone scams, AARP showed how easy it is to falsify identities with inexpensive and easy to obtain telephone spoofing apps.
We feel it is important to bring greater seasonal awareness to how scam artists are working seniors this time of year. Be aware and stay aware of scams, and please help protect our seniors by sharing this information so no unexpecting senior gets fooled and taken advantage of. Reminding our eldelry loved ones about recent scams s important even if you think they already know.
BrightStar Care of Morris and Essex County provides 24/7 Holiday Care.
We know family caregivers provide care around the clock and we offer support 24/7 providing a full continuum of private duty home care services including companionship, personal care, and transportation. We proudly serve Morristown, Madison,Rockaway, Florham Park, Flanders, Montclair, Livingston, and Whippany areas.
For more information on how BrightStar Care supports seniors and families, and to learn more about our local team of caregivers, skilled healthcare professionals, and home health care support for Morris and Essex County families and businesses CLICK HERE.
Source:
http://thecirclenews.org/cover-story/elders-become-targets-for-scam-artists-during-the-holidays/