Today, Older Americans have become the frequent victims of scam artists. “Older Americans” are defined as the generation of Americans who are over 60 years of age. As a generation, scammers believe that seniors are more trusting and thus more susceptible to mail and telephone call scams. They also believe that this generation is less likely to understand technology and, therefore, be unable to protect themselves from data breaches, fraudulent identity scams, and viruses.
As a Florida senior or a loved one of a Florida senior, how do you ensure that you will not fall victim to a scam? Many scam artists create very believable scams. Their goal is to emotionally manipulate you into taking action, either through fear, urgency or worry. This action is for the benefit of the scammer and never for you. Seniors who live alone or need extra assistance can be especially vulnerable. Even if your senior loved one is living in a long-term care facility, he or she is not safe from scams that we see impact the seniors in our community.
This National Older Americans Month we want to share with you several of the most rampant scams. We also want to give you information that you can use to be better prepared to avoid these scams.
1. The Medicare scam. No matter what time of year, the Medicare scam is prevalent. Scammers contact seniors throughout the year offering healthcare services, prescription coverage, and out-of-pocket cost assistance. These scammers pretend to be from the Medicare office. They will have gathered information on you and be able to talk to you about your medical condition. Be very wary of anyone who calls you claiming to be from Medicare. Hang up the phone or ignore the piece of mail, and contact Medicare directly with your questions.
2. The hurricane repair insurance. Similar to the hurricane repair scam, the hurricane insurance scam is currently targeting seniors. Through this scam, the scammer pretends to represent an insurance company with the hope of getting both your personal information and to be able to sell you a policy that will be used at some point in the future. The scammers have no intention of ever making good on your contract. While hurricane insurance can be a great tool, be sure to do your research on the company and speak to someone reputable before making a purchase.
3. The utility bill scam. One of the fastest growing scams in Florida is the utility bill scam. Through the utility bill scam, the scammer pretends to represent your utilities company. He or she will threaten to turn off your utilities and possibility place a lien on your house unless a bill is paid immediately. Although this will be for a nominal amount of money, do not give into the scammer. Instead, call your utility bill company to determine if there is truly an issue with your account.
4. The caregiver scam. The caregiver scam is one of the most devastating scams that can target vulnerable adults. Through this scam the caregiver pretends to provide care and support for the senior. The intent of the scammer, though, is to gain access to the finances of the senior or to receive payments from the senior. This is most commonly found as a form of financial exploitation but, in worst cases scenarios, can leave the senior isolated, alone and at risk of harm.
While we know it is not easy to avoid scams, we want to provide you with the information you need to be better prepared to avoid scam artists. We want to help you answer questions that pertain to elder law issues like these. Do not wait to contact our law practice with your questions.